IGAD Media Awards 2025: Celebrating Excellence in Journalism Across the IGAD Region

The IGAD Media Awards is a flagship initiative by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), devoted to honoring journalistic excellence throughout its eight member states: Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda.

Established as part of IGAD’s broader Communication Strategy and Institutional Strengthening Action Programme (ISAP), the IGAD Media Awards purpose to promote moral, impactful, and accountable journalism in the area. Each yr, the Awards acknowledge journalists and media professionals whose work contributes meaningfully to peace, improvement, integration, and public consciousness on key regional points.

The initiative not solely celebrates excellent media contributions but additionally fosters skilled improvement, regional collaboration, and public engagement, nurturing a vibrant and moral media ecosystem throughout the IGAD area.

Annual Focus

Every version of the Awards highlights a central regional theme aligned with IGAD’s strategic priorities. Topics could embrace:

• Peace and safety

• Climate resilience

• Sustainable improvement

• Governance

• Regional integration

This thematic focus ensures the Awards stay related and attentive to the evolving wants and priorities of the area.

IGAD Media Awards 2025

Theme: “Storytelling for Climate Action: For a Secure, Resilient, and Stable Region”

The IGAD Media Awards 2025 shine a highlight on one in every of the most important challenges of our time: local weather change. As the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) area grapples with intensifying environmental threats—starting from extended droughts and devastating floods to desertification and rising meals insecurity—the Awards search to harness the energy of storytelling to affect local weather resilience and motion.

The Awards invite journalists and media professionals to supply daring, inspiring, and impactful narratives that seize the urgency of local weather points and provide pathways to adaptation, mitigation, and sustainability. Through compelling journalism, visible storytelling, and digital innovation, the IGAD Media Awards purpose to mobilise communities and establishments towards environmental stewardship and regional stability.

Objectives

The IGAD Media Awards 2025 purpose to:

• Recognise and reward excellence in local weather journalism and environmental storytelling.

• Inspire progressive, evidence-based reporting on local weather adaptation and mitigation.

• Promote collaboration amongst journalists, local weather consultants, and policymakers.

• Enhance public consciousness and accountability on local weather resilience throughout the IGAD area.

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Eligibility

The IGAD Media Awards are open to:

• Practicing journalists from any of the eight IGAD Member States

• Freelance journalists and impartial media professionals

• Journalists from mainstream, digital, or multimedia platforms

• Foreign correspondents and content material creators specializing in the IGAD area

Important: All submissions will need to have been revealed or broadcast between April 1, 2024, and July 30, 2025.

There is no entry charge required.

For full particulars on guidelines and eligibility, please go to: Eligibility Criteria

For enquiries, contact: mediaawards@igad.int

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Award Categories

The IGAD Media Awards 2025 function a complete vary of classes that mirror the variety of media and storytelling codecs:

• Print Journalism: Outstanding reporting in newspapers or magazines that demonstrates depth, accuracy, and regional affect.

• Radio Journalism: Compelling audio tales, options, or podcasts that inform and interact listeners throughout borders.

• Television Journalism: Excellence in information options, documentaries, or investigative broadcasts addressing regional points.

• Digital Media: Innovative on-line journalism together with multimedia content material, blogs, and digital storytelling.

• Photography: Powerful picture essays or single photographs capturing key regional occasions or narratives.

• Indigenous Language Reporting: Journalism in native or nationwide languages that enhances accessibility and inclusion.

• Influencer of the Year: Social media creators utilizing their platforms to advocate for improvement, peace, or environmental sustainability.

• Upcoming Media Personality of the Year: Emerging skills with recent, impactful storytelling.

• Gender Responsive Media: Reporting that promotes gender equality and amplifies ladies’s voices.

• Lifetime Achievement Award: Honouring lifelong contributions to journalism and public service storytelling.

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Judging Process

The judging course of for the IGAD Media Awards is clear and rigorous, led by a numerous panel of regional consultants in journalism, governance, media improvement, and local weather motion.

Steps Involved:

1. Screening – Initial assessment for eligibility and completeness.

2. Scoring – Submissions evaluated utilizing a standardized rubric.

3. Deliberation – A moderated panel dialogue ensures equity and consensus.

4. Final Selection – Winners are chosen based mostly on cumulative scores and knowledgeable settlement.

Note: All judges adhere to a strict conflict-of-interest coverage to keep up integrity and impartiality.

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Judging Criteria

Submissions can be judged based on the following 5 key standards:

• Relevance to Theme
  Coverage should clearly deal with matters associated to local weather change, resilience, adaptation, or regional improvement.

• Accuracy and Depth
  Entries ought to exhibit rigorous fact-checking, the use of dependable sources, and a complete strategy to the matter.

• Creativity and Innovation
  Judges will assess the storytelling approach, narrative construction, and use of multimedia or progressive codecs.

• Impact and Reach
  Consideration can be given to the entry’s affect on public discourse, habits, or coverage.

• Ethical Standards
  Submissions should mirror equity, steadiness, and adherence to skilled journalism ethics.

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Rules & Guidelines

To guarantee a good and clear competitors, all individuals should comply with these guidelines:

1. Original Work Only
   All submissions have to be the authentic work of the entrant(s). Plagiarism will outcome in speedy disqualification.

2. Single Submission
   Each participant could submit solely one entry.

3. Publication Period
   Entries will need to have been revealed or broadcast inside the eligibility interval specified by the organizers.

4. Submission Format
   Entries should embrace both a working hyperlink or a file add of the media product.

5. Language Requirements
   If the entry isn’t in English, a translation or transcript have to be included.

6. Access to Entries
   For entries behind paywalls or with restricted entry, individuals should present accessible variations (e.g., PDFs). Failure to take action will result in disqualification.

7. Joint Submissions
   Team or collaborative entries are allowed. All contributing authors have to be clearly recognized.

8. Usage Rights
   By submitting an entry, individuals grant IGAD the proper to make use of the materials for promotional, coaching, and advocacy functions, with correct attribution.

9. Finality of Judging
   The determination of the judging panel is last and can’t be contested.

For extra data, please click on HERE

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Recognition & Opportunities

Award winners will obtain:

• Certificates and token prizes

• Accreditation to attend high-level IGAD occasions

• A two-day masterclass on local weather journalism

• Access to IGAD consultants and companion networks for future collaboration alternatives

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Awards Gala

• Date: To Be Announced, 2025

• Venue: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

• Organised by: IGAD, in partnership with local weather establishments, media organisations, and improvement companions.

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Our Partners

The IGAD Media Awards are supported by a rising community of companions who champion journalistic excellence throughout the area. Together, we amplify tales that promote peace, safety, resilience, and inclusive improvement in the IGAD area.

Celebrating Excellence in Journalism Across the IGAD Region

The IGAD Media Awards function a significant platform to help and have fun excellence in journalism all through the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) area. Through collaborative partnerships, the Awards spotlight and honour highly effective narratives that contribute to peace, safety, and inclusive improvement. These tales play a crucial position in shaping public discourse and driving significant change in communities throughout the area.

Why Partner With Us?

By partnering with the IGAD Media Awards, your organisation turns into part of a regional motion that uplifts impactful storytelling. Partners assist amplify the voices of journalists who inform, educate, and encourage by means of their dedication to fact and accountable reporting. The IGAD Media Awards have fun and elevate impactful journalism that shapes public understanding and drives significant motion on local weather resilience, peace, and improvement.

Benefits of Partnership:

• Support for Quality Journalism: Contribute to strengthening the media panorama by selling excessive requirements of reporting and moral journalism.

• Promoting Regional Narratives: Help advance tales that reinforce peacebuilding, safety initiatives, and sustainable improvement in IGAD member states.

• Enhanced Visibility: Align your model with a prestigious initiative that values transparency, regional cooperation, and group empowerment.

• Contribute to Regional Development: Join forces with IGAD to affect public coverage and social improvement by means of media excellence.

Our Media Partners

The IGAD Media Awards are made attainable with the help of devoted media companions dedicated to uplifting journalism that drives optimistic change. Their contributions play a key position in recognising and rewarding storytelling that strengthens societies and informs the public on crucial regional points.

Get Involved

We invite media organisations, improvement companions, civil society, and personal sector stakeholders to hitch us in this vital initiative. Together, we will empower journalists and contribute to a extra knowledgeable, peaceable, and inclusive IGAD area.

Partnership Packages:

Silver Partner

• Logo featured on occasion web site and promotional supplies

• Recognition in social media posts

• Mention in official press releases

• Two invites to the awards ceremony

• Logo displayed throughout the occasion

• Acknowledgment at the occasion

• Inclusion of branded supplies in present luggage

• Access to partnership affect knowledge

Gold Partner

• Enhanced emblem placement on all promotional channels

• Featured in social media campaigns with devoted posts

• Recognition in official press releases

• Four invites to the ceremony

• Prime emblem placement at the venue

• Exclusive entry to content material and interviews

• Half-page advert in the programme

• Post-event acknowledgment and analytics

Platinum Partner

• Premier emblem and branding throughout all platforms

• Prominent publicity in social and conventional media

• Recognition in all media outreach

• Six VIP invites to the ceremony

• Speaking or award presentation alternative

• Full-page advert and branded content material

• Feature in company video and post-event communications

• Access to knowledge, analytics, and affect studies

For partnership alternatives and extra data, please contact:
mediaawards@igad.int

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For extra data, go to: https://mediaawards.igad.int
For partnership or application queries, e-mail: mediaawards@igad.int

Contact & Further Information

For extra particulars about the IGAD Media Awards 2025, together with submission tips and key dates click on HERE

Email: mediaawards@igad.int
Address: IGAD Secretariat, Avenue Georges Clemenceau, P.O. Box 2653, Djibouti, Republic of Djibouti
Phone: +253-21354050 / +253-21356994

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About IGAD

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) is a regional group dedicated to fostering sustainable improvement, peace, and integration in Eastern Africa. Through initiatives like the IGAD Media Awards, IGAD continues to help transformative storytelling that shapes narratives and informs optimistic change.

Visit our full site for updates, assets, and alternatives throughout the IGAD area.

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Stay on www.opportunitiesforyouth.org for extra alternatives

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