As journalists around the world face increasing pressure, threats, censorship, and intimidation, the International Press Institute (IPI) and International Media Support (IMS) invite nominations for the 2027 IPI-IMS Press Freedom Laureate and Free Media Pioneer awards.
The awards recognise journalists and media organisations making critical contributions in the fight for free media. They will be presented at a special ceremony during the 2027 IPI World Congress and Media Innovation Festival in Budapest, which will take place May 12 to 14. The award recipients will be announced prior to the event.
Nominations for the 2027 awards must be received by December 15, 2026 (23:59 CET). The award winners will be selected by the IPI and IMS teams, and an international advisory committee.
About the awards
The IPI-IMS Press Freedom Laureate award, previously called the World Press Freedom Hero award, recognises individual journalists from around the world who have demonstrated an exemplary commitment to ensuring the public has access to independent news and information, often in the face of political pressure and personal risk.
The 2026 recipients of the World Press Freedom Hero award were Patricia Evangelista (Philippines), Mónica González (Chile), and Hungary’s independent journalists.
Other recipients include 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).
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.
The 2026 recipients of the Free Media Pioneer award, drawn from a global shortlist, were the Latin American Center for Investigative Journalism (El CLIP) and Abzas Media and Meydan TV (Azerbaijan).
How to nominate
IPI and IMS welcome nominations from around the world for the 2027 awards. Please submit your nomination by December 15 (23:59 CET) using our official nomination forms:
Nominations for the Press Freedom Laureate 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.