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Unifor Honours Palestinian Journalists with Nelson Mandela Award at Vancouver Convention
8-26-2025
VANCOUVER, BC, Aug. 26, 2025 /CNW/ – In a powerful show of solidarity with press freedom and human rights, Unifor has awarded its highest honour, the Nelson Mandela Award, to the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate (PJS). The award recognizes the extraordinary courage and sacrifice of Palestinian media workers covering the ongoing war in Gaza.
The presentation took place during Unifor’s Constitutional Convention in Vancouver, where union leaders, delegates, and international guests gathered to reflect on global struggles for justice.
“We are proud to award the PJS for the incredible work they do and the sacrifices they make to tell the world the truth about what is happening in Gaza,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “These journalists are subject to constant danger as they fight to report on the atrocities and crimes being committed against Palestinians. They are showing tremendous courage as they continue their work, in spite of bombs, bullets, and starvation.”
The award was accepted on behalf of Palestinian journalists by Naser Abubaker, President of the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate.
“This is an honour to be recognized for our members’ work,” said Abubaker. “Gaza’s journalists have been telling the world the story – and sadly, many have also become the story, as the casualty count keeps going up. These brave journalists are the only ones bearing witness to the atrocities, including starvation, amid Israel’s ban on foreign media. Their mission is simple: to expose the truth and keep these stories alive.”
Journalists Under Fire
The recognition comes at a devastating moment for the profession. According to the International Federation of Journalists, more than 225 journalists and media workers have been killed since the conflict began, including 212 Palestinians.
Unifor condemned the repeated targeting of journalists, including recent strikes that killed four Al Jazeera journalists, two freelancers, and five others from international outlets such as Reuters and the Associated Press. Just this week, an Israeli strike on Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza killed at least 20 people, among them five journalists.
Earlier in August, Al Jazeera’s Anas al-Sharif, Mohammed Qreiqeh, Ibrahim Zaher, and Mohammed Noufal, along with freelance reporters Moamen Aliwa and Mohammed al-Khaldi, were killed in an attack on a media tent near a hospital.
Unifor emphasized that the targeting of journalists is a war crime and called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to launch a full investigation into the killings.
Unifor’s Call to Action
Payne used the occasion to reiterate Unifor’s demand for urgent political action.
“We denounce these high-profile killings of Palestinian journalists, which are happening at a time when Israel is preparing for a takeover of Gaza, while the starvation crisis is mounting,” Payne said. “Unifor continues to lobby the Canadian government to take urgent action to end the genocide in Palestine with an immediate and permanent ceasefire.”
The Nelson Mandela Award is reserved for organizations and individuals who embody resilience in the face of oppression. For Palestinian journalists, the award is both a recognition of their sacrifices and a reminder of the crucial role they play in documenting human rights abuses.
A Union Standing for Press Freedom
Unifor, which represents more than 10,000 media workers across Canada, stressed the importance of defending journalists’ ability to report safely, without fear of political intimidation or military assault.
The union underscored that freedom of the press is a cornerstone of democracy, and the suppression of Palestinian journalists is part of a broader attempt to silence dissent and obscure the realities of the Gaza conflict.
As Canada’s largest private-sector union, with 320,000 members nationwide, Unifor reiterated its commitment to advancing equality and social justice at home and abroad.
“The Nelson Mandela Award not only honours the fallen but strengthens the motivation of those still on the ground in Gaza,” Payne concluded. “Their resilience, their courage, and their voices must not be silenced.”
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