A hand holds an Amnesty Media Awards statue with a wooden base and rectangular, clear glass body with a silhouette of a candle etched into it

Nominations now open: 30th annual Amnesty International Canada Media Awards

Nominations are now open for the 30th annual Amnesty International Canada Media Awards.

First handed out in 1996, the Amnesty International Canada Media Awards recognize excellence in human rights reporting by Canada-based journalists and Canadian journalists working abroad. Past winners include some of the most celebrated Canadian reporters of the past three decades, such as the CBC’s Anna Maria Tremonti and former Globe and Mail foreign correspondent Stephanie Nolen, as well independent and student journalists whose outstanding work has elevated them to the national stage.

“This year, as we celebrate the 30th edition of the Media Awards, we honour not only the stories that have shaped public understanding of human rights but also the extraordinary resolve of the people who bring those stories to us,” said Ketty Niyvabandi, Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada’s English-speaking section. “Now more than ever, high-quality human rights reporting matters. We need journalism that continues to demand the truth, unflinchingly interrogate power, and treats injustice against one person or group as an affront to us all.”

The 2024-2025 cycle of the Amnesty International Canada Media Awards launches during a period of heightened danger for journalists worldwide. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, a record-breaking 124 reporters and media workers were killed in 2024. About two thirds were Palestinians killed in Israel’s bombardment of Gaza.

While most Canadian journalists don’t live or work in war zones, they face escalating barriers to freedom of the press, from harassment and forms of gender-based online violence, to the criminalization of journalists by law enforcement, to dwindling ad revenue that continues to starve newsroom budgets. Meanwhile, professional journalists face the mountainous task of helping the public make sense of a world in crisis amid a rise of authoritarian practices in North America and abroad, the scourge of disinformation online, and the influence of AI on virtually all aspects of society.

“Journalists have always met the moment by adapting to changing technologies and upheaval in society,” Nivyabandi said. “These awards recognize exceptional journalists who ensure truth finds its way to the people, no matter what.”

How to nominate a story for an Amnesty International Canada Media Award

To be eligible, entries must have been published or broadcast in Canada between January 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024. One may make a nomination in more than one category, with a maximum of three total submissions per person. Applicants may nominate their own work or that of others (with express permission of the nominee).

Submissions will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. EDT on Thursday, July 30, 2025. A distinguished jury will evaluate entries based on journalistic excellence, depth of storytelling, amplification of voices at the heart of the issue, and the framing of solutions.

The winners will be announced in the fall, on a date to be determined.

Visit www.amnesty.ca/media-awards to review the full guidelines and eligibility criteria and to enter a nomination. Please make sure to include links to the pieces you’re nominating and permission for the work to be reviewed by the judges and shared in Amnesty’s communications.

Previous Award Winners

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