UNESCO’s Director-General Khaled El-Enany awarded the Prize, on the recommendation of an independent international Jury, at the presence of a delegation of fourteen representatives of the Sudanese Journalists Syndicate (SJS).
This prize recognizes those who risk everything to light up the world’s darkest corners.
Rawan DamenJury Member
Presenting the award on behalf of the Jury, Rawan Damen highlighted the situation of journalists in Sudan, marked by violence, displacement and severe constraints on reporting. Despite these challenges, Sudanese journalists continue to document events and provide essential information to the public, both within the country and in exile.
Freedom of expression is an invisible infrastructure that is indispensable to the population.
Khaled El-EnanyUNESCO Director-General
In his address, UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany recalled the essential role of independent journalism in times of crisis. He emphasized that access to reliable information remains vital for affected populations, including for their safety and access to assistance.
He also reiterated that the Prize serves as a call to strengthen the protection of journalists and to combat impunity.
In Sudan, journalism today is written under bombardment, produced from exile, and paid for with personal security and stability – sometimes with life itself. This award is not so much a recognition of an institution as it is a testimony to an exceptionally harsh reality.
Abdul-Moneim Abu Idris AliChaiperson of the Sudanese Journalists Syndicate
Accepting the Prize, the Chairperson of SJS paid tribute to journalists who continue their work despite life-threatening conditions. He dedicated the award to those who have lost their lives, as well as to those detained or forcibly disappeared.
He reaffirmed the Syndicate’s commitment to defending free and professional journalism and monitoring attacks against them, and called for increased international support to protect journalists and ensure accountability.
READ MORE: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco/guillermo-cano-world-press-freedom-prize-2026-awarded-sudanese-journalists-syndicate-0?hub=701
