As threats to the free press grow globally, it’s never been more important to honour courage and resilience in journalism.
The International Press Institute (IPI) and International Media Support (IMS) are proud to announce the call for nominations for this year’s World Press Freedom Hero Award and Free Media Pioneer Award.
The awards will be presented at a special event at this year’s Gabo Festival (July 24-26, Bogotá, Colombia), the leading event for journalists in Ibero-America. The Festival, now in its 14th edition, is organised annually by the Gabo Foundation, founded by journalist, writer, and Nobel laureate Gabriel García Márquez. The IPI-IMS award recipients will be announced before the event.
Nominations for this year’s awards must be received by March 20, 2026 (23:59 CEST). The award winners will be selected by the IPI and the IMS teams, and an international advisory committee.
BACKGROUND
The IPI-IMS World Press Freedom Hero Award honours journalists who have made significant contributions to the promotion of press freedom, particularly in the face of great personal risk.
Last year, as IPI marked its 75th anniversary, seven journalists from around the globe were named recipients of the World Press Freedom Hero Award: Mzia Amaglobeli (Georgia), Martin Baron (United States), Mariam Abu Dagga (Palestine), Gustavo Gorriti (Peru), Jimmy Lai (Hong Kong), Victoria Roshchyna (Ukraine), and Tesfalem Waldyes (Ethiopia).
Other past recipients include Palestinian journalists covering Gaza, Carmen Aristegui, Anna Politkovskaya, Carlos Dada, Katherine Graham, Hrant Dink, Harold Evans, and Veronica Guerin. See all past World Press Freedom Hero Award recipients.
The IPI-IMS Free Media Pioneer Award is presented to organisations or media communities meeting the demands of the moment through innovative models of journalism, media, or press freedom defence. They are opening up new ways of thinking about the free flow of information to strengthen independent journalism and meet the needs of their communities.
Last year’s award was presented to Hungary’s independent media in recognition of their innovation, adaptation, and endurance under sustained political and economic pressure.
Other past recipients include Kloop (Kyrgyzstan), Myanmar Now, Rappler (Philippines), Medyascope (Turkey), the Afghan Journalists Safety Committee, The Wire (India), and the independent media of Ukraine. See all Free Media Pioneer Award recipients.
HOW TO NOMINATE
IPI and IMS welcome nominations from around the world for the 2026 awards. Please submit your nomination by March 20 (23:59 CEST) using our official nomination forms:
Nominations for the World Press Freedom Hero Award must be individuals. Nominations for the Free Media Pioneer Award can be teams, news outlets, or other media-related organisations, including organisations that defend press freedom. Please note that self-nominations are not permitted, though you may nominate someone within your own organisation.
Any questions about the nomination and selection process can be sent to [email protected]. We look forward to your nominations – thank you for helping us spotlight the journalists and media defending our right to the news.