First Kamel Shiaa Prize awarded to Iraqi journalist Maryam Mohammed Jaafar

MAASTRICHT, THE NETHERLANDS: The EJC and the Kamel Shiaa Foundation have announced that the first Kamel Shiaa Prize for Iraqi press freedom has been awarded to the Iraqi journalist Maryam Mohammed Jaafar for her article Violence is spreading among the Iraqi children.

The Kamel Shiaa Prize is dedicated to the memory of the late Iraqi intellectual and writer, Kamel Shiaa, pictured here - who was assassinated in Baghdad on 23 August 2008 - and to all the Iraqi journalists who have been killed or harassed while performing their job.

The jury, composed of six international journalists, chose the winner out of 33 candidates. It was decided unanimously that the strength of Jaafar's article rests on its promotion of children's rights and intercultural dialogue. The article depicts the harsh impact war has on children and, in particular, how they perceive the different religious communities in the area they live in. It explains the trauma children have suffered as the Iraqi nation continues to endure times of conflict.

The prize offers Maryam Mohammed Jaafar the opportunity to spend three months in Brussels. During this period she will be free to report on subjects throughout Europe in addition to receiving skills training to improve her craft further under the auspices of the EJC.