UNESCO Awards 2026 Press Freedom Prize to Sudanese Journalists Syndicate

UNESCO awarded the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize 2026 to the Sudanese Journalists Syndicate, citing the group’s documentation of deaths and violations since fighting broke out in 2023. UNESCO said the Syndicate has documented 32 journalists’ deaths and 556 violations against media workers, along with the cessation of numerous newspapers and radio stations. UNESCO also said the laureate was announced ahead of World Press Freedom Day on May 3, and that the global conference “Shaping a Future at Peace” will take place in Lusaka from 4-6 May, co-hosted by Zambia. At the Paris ceremony, journalists Mohammed Harika and Nabe Al-Madani received the prize on behalf of the Syndicate’s Executive Committee in the presence of UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Anani.

“UNESCO awarded the Sudanese Journalists Syndicate the World Press Freedom Prize on Thursday, April 30”

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UNESCO described Sudan as “one of the most dangerous countries to be a journalist,” saying evidence shows journalists have been threatened with violence and arrest while news gathering is severely disrupted. The organization said 90% of the country’s media infrastructure has been destroyed and that journalists have been trapped in their homes or workplaces due to street violence, alongside internet and telecommunications blackouts. In Paris, UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany said the Syndicate’s members have “shown extraordinary courage and unwavering commitment,” and UNESCO’s statement also praised their “accurate and vital information” to communities. Abdelmoneim Abu Idris Ali, president of the Sudanese Journalists Syndicate, said the prize is “not only a recognition of the Sudanese Journalists Syndicate, but also a tribute to all Sudanese journalists” defending press freedom under extremely difficult conditions.

UNESCO said the award comes as it warns that press freedom is in sharp decline beyond Sudan, with its data showing a 10% decline in freedom of expression worldwide since 2012 and global self-censorship among the press growing by 69% between 2012 and the end of 2025. The organization also tied the Sudan situation to a “zone of silence,” saying misinformation and war propaganda proliferate as journalists face threats, arrests, and internet shutdowns. UNESCO said it is supporting the Sudanese Media Forum and helped set up two safe spaces for journalists in Port Sudan, where to date 49 journalists have received direct support. In its statement, UNESCO said it will appeal to governments and civil society at its World Press Freedom Conference in Lusaka to recommit to support independent journalism and the free flow of information, affirming that any peace, recovery or security policy must integrate information integrity and free, independent media.

“The UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize was awarded on Thursday, April 30 to the Sudanese Journalists Syndicate, which relentlessly denounces the deliberate targeting suffered by journalists covering the conflict in Sudan”

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