The Zeitenspiegel reporters Bernd Hauser and Sascha Montag and the Spiegel-Reporter Alexandra Rojkov are the winners of the Kindernothilfe Media Award 2023. On the occasion of the award ceremony's 25th anniversary, journalist Isabel Schayani was also honored for her outstanding foreign reporting on children's rights violations.
„Girls and boys are our future,“ said Svenja Schulze, Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development and patron of the event. „Yet, the rights of millions of children are violated every day: poverty, lack of healthcare and educational opportunities, exploitation, armed conflicts, and climate change rob them of the chance for a good life. We must all remain committed to strengthening children's rights—the work of journalists makes an important contribution to this.“
Bernd Hauser and Sascha Montag took their reportage „With the Nuns in Nepal: Praying, Learning, Being Free,“ which appeared in Your mirror It won first place in the „Children's Jury Prize“ category. „It's about education for children and their chance for a better life. We find that very important, because every child has the right to learn,“ explained the children's jury from three Berlin schools (Nelson-Mandela-School, Andreas-Gymnasium, and Erich-Kästner-Primary School) their decision.
Christian Erll, Maike zum Hoff, and Emilia Schildhauer took top honors with their podcast, „Why Do We Bully Others?“ (ARD) the second, and Claudia Beckschebe, Beatrix Schnippenkoetter, Georg Fahrion, Birte Mensing, Marco Wedig, and Antonia Bauer with their reportage „Away from Home: On the Run“ (Your mirror) third place.
Alexandra Rojkov and her reportage „How Kolja Lost His Family, But Not His Hope“The Mirrorwas awarded the „Story on Stage“ prize. In her article, the journalist sheds light on the fate of a Ukrainian boy who lost his family in a bombing raid on Mariupol. The 15-year-old Kolya is left alone in the rubble after his family's death. „I really thought this war wouldn't affect us,“ says Kolya. Second place went to Gereon Wetzel for his film „Sommerfahrt – Zeit heilt keine Wunden“ (Summer Journey – Time Doesn't Heal Wounds).WDRnd third place was taken by Gesche Piening with her radio report „Death – what is that called?“ (DLF Kultur/Brazil).
On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Kindernothilfe Media Award, the board of trustees also presented a special award for outstanding foreign reporting for the first time. The award was given to journalist Isabel Schayani (WDR), who has most recently shed light on the situation of refugee children in Greece and Ukraine.
Among the guests were journalists Claus Kleber and Andreas Cichowicz, actresses and actors Natalia Wörner, Sina Tkotsch, Heike Kloss, Manou Lubowski, and Frederic Heidorn, as well as presenter and comedian Daniele Rizzo.
As one of the largest Christian child rights organizations in Europe, Kindernothilfe protects, strengthens, and promotes more than 2.1 million children and their families and communities in a total of 36 countries to sustainably improve their living conditions. Since 1999, Kindernothilfe has awarded the Media Prize for Children's Rights.