On International Day for the Eradication of Poverty 2019, the Association of Journalists of Kosovo – AJK in cooperation with the United Nations Team Kosovo – UNKT, under the coordination of the Development Coordination Office has organized the annual ceremony “Poverty Journalism Award.”
The ceremony was opened by the President of AJK, Gentiana Begolli Pustina. She declared that the journalists have given the most contribution to eradicating poverty in our country. Former President of the Republic of Kosovo who participated in the ceremony, Ms. Atifete Jahjaga estimated the importance journalist’s role in raising awareness, seeking responsibilities by state institutions for the concerns that the society is facing up with. Ulrike Richardson from UNKT emphasized that fighting poverty could not be only by economic development. The social welfare system should be more developed, she added. Budimir Nicic, the President of Serb Journalists Association in Kosovo, said that these stories should be sent to all of the heads of state institutions, to all of them that are gone and to all of them who will come, in order to all be informed on what kind of circumstances the citizens of this country live.
The main speech of the ceremony was held by Ms. Elizabeth Gowing, a freelance journalist, civil activist and the founder of “The Ideas Partnership.” She presented her contribution by writing stories on foreign media about poverty.
The prize winners are:
- The best short video : Rejhane Selimi – “Maloku family lives in difficult conditions.”
- The best documentary: Kaltrina Rexhepi Dragusha – “Alms: Business or Need?”
- The best audio-story: Bardha Shkreli – “Reportage about poverty”
- The best written story: Besnik Boletini – “Poverty, insecurity, death!”
- Best Photography: Arben Lapashtica
