CAIRO: Three Egyptian journalists have been short-listed for the fifth Anna Lindh Journalist Award, among 15 finalists from the 43 Euro-Mediterranean countries eligible for the award.
The Anna Lindh Journalist Award is a leading regional award which aims at rewarding exceptional journalists who promote cultural dialogue in the Euro-Mediterranean region instead of fueling the “clash” of cultures.
Winners are awarded in five categories: Press, TV, radio, online media and a special category for “social change and democracy,” launched only this year.
Egyptian journalist and anchor Mohammad Abdel Hady is shortlisted in the radio category for his program “Le voile en Egypte aujourd’hui” or “The veil in Egypt today” broadcast on Radio Le Caire station.
Abdel Hady, who has worked at several international news outlets including the Agence- France Presse (AFP), addresses bold issues related to the Muslim veil in Egypt in his radio program as well as his writings. According to Abdel Hady, the veil is no more than a social norm for women; who wear it for reasons not related to religion.
In the press category, Daily News Egypt’s Editor-In-Chief Rania Al Malky is one of five finalists this year.
Al Malky – the only female editor of an Egyptian daily newspaper – submitted her editorials about sectarian strife in Egypt, published before and after the January 25 uprising.
While keeping an eye on sectarian tension in Egypt through her editorials, Al Malky was able to foretell the New Year’s Al-Qeddisine Chruch bombing in a 2010 year-end-editorial, where she highlighted the threat of sectarian strife as long as the government is turning a blind eye to the issue and its repercussions.
After January 25, Al Malky focused in her editorials on sectarian-fueled crises in the country, with an analysis of the Ibmaba incidents that took place in March, as well as linking gender discrimination issues in Egypt with sectarian tension.
The third Egyptian finalist, Mohamed El-Dahshan, is nominated for the “social change and democracy” special award, particularly for the singular role he played in covering the Egyptian revolution.
El-Dahshan – an independent consultant in international development – freelances in several top Egyptian and international news outlets including: The New York Times, Al-Masry Al-Youm and Foreign Policy.
He submitted several articles outlining the development of the revolution, published between January 31 and May 25. The articles portray, in chronological order 16 weeks of the struggle to topple Mubarak’s regime, followed by what El-Dahshan described in his personal blog as “the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces’ jump in the breach when we were out celebrating … Mubarak’s abdication,” and further efforts to complete the revolution.
The winners will be announced in a ceremony in Monaco on Oct. 6.
Egypt scored the highest number of candidates short-listed from one country, with candidates from other Arab states including Tunisia, Algeria and Lebanon.
