Three times in 2021 we were reminded why journalism is important

As the world attempted a return to public life in 2021, major world events shaped collective thought and defined a global media narrative. This wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for the brave and incredible work of journalists reporting from the farthest corners, the most dangerous and necessary places. We take a look at a few defining moments that reminded us why journalism is so important. 

Jon Snow speaking with Maria Ressa on a video call

Maria Ressa made history as the first person from the Phillipines to win the Nobel Peace Prize for her work to protect freedom of expression. A co-founder and CEO of Rappler, which won a One World Media Special Award in 2020, Maria is a reminder of why the truth is essential to context, why fact-based journalism needs to be widely and easily accessible and how crucial it is to hold truth to power. Watch and share our video of when charity patron, Jon Snow, interviewed Ressa.

 

Two filmmakers in PPE suits using camera equipment

The virus continues to confuse us as it mutates. It is only because of urgent Covid coverage from the frontlines of a growing number of vaccines and the vaccinated alongside a death toll and constantly changing restrictions that we know of how various countries are responding to this pandemic. Watch GSDF alumnus Prashun Mazumdar’s film which aired on Al Jazeera English

 

This year, 120 leaders and more than 40,000 participants gathered for two weeks in Glasgow for COP26 to acknowledge a climate change emergency and act towards preventing further damage. As part of the COP26 Resilience Hub, we hosted a webinar titled, Feeling the Heat, partnering with the BBC. Read One World Media alumna Carlotta Dotto’s story about how climate change is affecting rural women in Senegal and what they’re doing about it in her story which appeared in Al Jazeera English. And have you read takeaways from a recent Insta Live with Carlotta?