Liberty Victoria's Empty Chair Human Rights Award Winner
Submitted by admin on Wed, 23/10/2024 - 15:48
In an era in which social media revolution has created an avalanche of disinformation and conflicts polarise communities across the world, the role of independent journalism has never been more critical to the protection of human rights and civil liberties. The role of journalists can be dangerous and come at a high personal price, particularly when reporting from conflict zones. The extreme price that journalists can pay for their commitment to their ideals has been brought into tragic focus in Palestine where, at the time of writing, over 120 journalists are reported to have been killed in the past year.
This year's Liberty Victoria Voltaire Awards Dinner is being held on 15 November 2024, which marks the PEN International Day of the Imprisoned Writer. This day highlights the cases of writers who are imprisoned or facing persecution and calls for urgent international action to release and protect them.
In recognition of the importance of the work of journalists working in conflict zones, the difficulties they endure and the extreme sacrifice so many have made, this year's Liberty Victoria Voltaire Empty Chair Award has been dedicated to all journalist and writers who have been killed or are suffering imprisonment for their work in reporting from conflict zones. The Award recognizes in particular the work of journalists who have died and those who continue to put their lives in danger to report from Palestine.
A representative of PEN Melbourne will be in attendance on the night to accept the Award and pay tribute to the work of both journalists in conflict zones and imprisoned writers from around the world.
Please join us to celebrate at the Voltaire Awards Dinner on November 15th, 2024.
