Winners of UNICEF-MoCIG’s national reporting competition, “Refugee Children, Iranian Hospitality”, announced

Ms. Hoda Hashemi and Ms. Faranak Javaheri, two Iranian journalists, have emerged as the first-place winners in the reporting contest organised jointly by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance (MoCIG) and UNICEF in 2022. The contest, held under the theme of "Refugee Children, Iranian Hospitality," recognised their outstanding article titled "This burden is heavy," shedding light on the plight of refugee children toiling in the recycling industry and other sectors on the streets of Tehran.

The second national reporting contest on children, which is part of the joint cooperation between the Department of Press and Information of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance and UNICEF, aimed at promoting ethical representation of children in media and news reports, highlighting the power of storytelling to advocate for children’s issues.

The jury, composed of experts from the Department of Press and Information and UNICEF Iran, reviewed  submissions from different parts of the country and awarded the top five places to the following journalists:

1. Ms. Hoda Hashemi and Ms. Faranak Javaheri, for their story “This burden is heavy”. Winner of a laptop, certificate of appreciation and trophy.
2. Ms. Maryam Khabbaz, for her story “The children of Alimoun Castle” which tells the story of the neighbourhood of Pakistani immigrants in the suburbs of Tehran and their newly opened school. Winner of a smartphone and certificate of appreciation.
3. Ms. Parvaneh Bahramnejhad, for her story “Where is the playroom for the children in the south of the city?”, which illustrates the story of a playroom organised by volunteers and donors for Iranian and Afghan refugee children in Tehran. Winner of a smartphone and certificate of appreciation.
4. Ms. Taraneh Baniyaghoub, for the story “Afghan’s hope for Iran’s love” which captures the experiences of newly arrived refugee children in Iran and their relentless efforts to pursue education amidst challenging circumstances. Winner of an external memory drive and certificate of appreciation.
5. Ms. Leila Shoghi for the story “A school for Afghan children”, which sheds light on a school specifically dedicated to Afghan refugee children, encompassing those enduring life on the streets and engaged in child labour. The story captures the commitment of selfless volunteers and teachers who strive to uplift the lives of these vulnerable children. Winner of an external hard and certificate of appreciation.

The winning stories have been published online in the Iranian media.

The award ceremony took place on June 20th, World Refugee Day, with the participation of representatives from UNICEF and the Department of Press and Information at the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance.

In addition to this contest, UNICEF and the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance announced the winners of the third photo competition for photojournalists on the same theme. (see here)