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PRIX BAYEUX-CALVADOS- Les Correspondants de Guerre

The Arab Spring along with the influence and rising role of new medias popularly known as social networks like facebook, twitter and mobile phones in dislodging the tyrannical dictators in the region dominated the scene of the Bayeux-Calvados Prize for the Correspondents of the war, however to the detriment of enough projection of war in Afghanistan slowly shifting to Pakistan. The good news is that these Arab revolutions are expected to bring democracy and liberty to the new generations of these countries.

“IT (ARAB REVOLUTIONS) MADE THE NEWS IN ALL MEDIA SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR. WE WERE ALL AFFECTED BY THIS WIND OF FREEDOM INITIATED BY THE OPPRESSED (PEOPLE). SITTING AND DOING NOTHING WOULD HAVE BEEN A MISTAKE,” SAID PATRICK GOMONT, MAYOR OF BAYEUX AND CO-ORGANIZER OF THE PRICE, FIRST LIBERATED CITY OF THE CONTINENT IN 1944.

War reporters who are faced with new dangers in asymmetrical and guerilla wars need to be encouraged at these difficult times and that is what the Bayeux-Calvados is doing very well. The galaxy of national and International journalists who participated made the Bayeux-Calvados Prize a Mega-International event, which will go a long way in providing a necessary moral and professional support to the reporters of War from around the world, where their work is valued and recognized. This event is fast becoming a French symbol supporting its enduring values like liberty and democracy.
Another important aspect of this Journalistic gathering is to sensitize and mobilize the young generation towards the profession of journalism. Special events and programs were organized for the students of Bayeux, Netherland and Switzerland to meet journalists personally and hear their stories directly from them. The students were informed by the representatives of Reporters without Borders that 57 journalists were killed last year in the line of their duty which means that the world is still dangerous for this profession. Pakistan was the most deadly country in the world with 13 journalists killed in 2010
Exhibitions, debates, book fair and students encounters with the journalists marked the event. Almost 20000 people participated in the event and more than 300 journalists graced the occasion this year. I think Bayeux-Calvados Prize for the War Correspondents is not just a prize but a campaign to inform the world about the brutality and dangers of the war and educate the civil society and the students about their responsibility for creating a peaceful, free and democratic world. It inform them and bring them closer to the world of journalism creating a better understanding and favorable attitude towards journalism.
The recipients of the18 th Bayeux-Calvados trophy 2011:
Trophy for the Best Photo reporter was awarded to Yuri KOZYREV of NOOR Photo Agency for photos taken in Libya in February-March 2011 .
The first Prize for Print Media was awarded to Jon STEPHENSON for his article appearing in METRO MAGAZINE , while the best Radio reporter Prize went to Etienne MONIN of France INFO. The prize for best TV Reporter went to Alex CRAWFORD of SKY NEWS , while the trophy for TV GRANT FORMAT reporter went to Vaughan SMITH of FRONTLINE CLUB-AL JAZEERA and last but not the least Sarah Hussain was the fortunate young journalist who got the best Photo reporter award in the Young reporter Category. Web Journalism, the new prize introduced this year was awarded to two beautiful young ladies Sarah LEDUC and Zoé LAMAZOU of France 24 for their report “Congo, la paix violée”.
The president of the Jury Mort Rosenblum, a great American journalist and reporter who covered almost all the wars in recent times was accompanied by ex-hostage Harve Ghesquiere with his collegue Stephan Taponier who remained in the custody of Taliban for 547 in Afghanistan, gave further credibility to the even
A Memorial for reporters
“One may only taste freedom when others around us are free” – Simone de Beauvoir
The one and the only one in the world, is the Memorial to honor the reporters from around the world by immortalizing them with their names engraved on a stone erected at this Journalist memorial. To ensure that the journalists killed in the line of duty are never forgotten, the City of Bayeux, in collaboration with Reporters without borders, has inaugurated a Memorial dedicated to reporters killed across the world since 1944.
This is the only place in the world where my husband’s name is written in stone,” declared Michèle Montas, the widow of the Haitian journalist Jean Dominique, on the inauguration of the first phase of the memorial on 7 October 2006.
HATS OFF TO THE CITY OF BAYEUX FOR GREAT HOSPITALITY:
Bravo!
The prize for hospitality would have surely gone to the city of Bayeux, if there would have been one. But, unfortunately there was non. But, all the participants, journalists, members of the Jury and people from different walks of life were unanimous in their decision that the hospitality of the city was up to the mark and for that the people of Bayeux, particularly the Mayer of the city Mr.Patrick Gomon deserve congratulations for his great interest and enormous hard-work to make this event a success. It looked at times as if the whole city is united and working in a cohesive manner like a well oiled organism to make the events rolling in a very effective and timely manner making the participants and Jury as well comfortable with their work. He was always present at every occasion and event however small to personally monitor the good rolling of the events without any problem. Of course the President of the Calvodos also deserve our congratulation and gratitude for being present on important occasions particularly on the last day of the Mega event.
Personally, it was honor that to be invited twice. First to deliver a speech on September 16, 2011 to the 105 students along with the Deputy Mare of theEindhoven, a city of Netherland. The Mayer of Bayeux personally introduced me the Deputy Mayer and the delegation of Eindhoven on the Lunch . Later, the delegation presented me with a gift from famous Multinational Philips firm.

Copyright © Fazal ur- Rehman Afridi, 2011

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