Rabat on May 7, 2024.
The awards were named in honor of the late Moroccan journalist Mohammed Al-Aghzaf Dah, the former director of the regional channel Al-Ayoun. Additionally, on the same occasion, tribute was paid to the memory of the late Palestinian journalist Mahmoud Marouf, the former director of “Al-Quds Al-Arabi” newspaper in Rabat.
In a speech on the occasion, Dr. Mohammed Salem Echarkaoui , the director in charge of the current affairs management of the Bayt Mal Al-Quds Asharif Agency (BMAQ), said, “What brings us together today in the second edition of the Al-Quds Asharif Awards for Journalistic Excellence in Development Media, directed towards students of media institutes in Morocco and Palestine, are the values of truth, freedom, and justice.”
Echarkaoui extended greetings “to the Palestinian journalistic body, with all its platforms, media outlets, and institutions, and foremost to those responsible for this qualitative initiative, which provides another opportunity for training, competition, and diligence to uphold the truth and triumph for its advocates.”
Echarkaoui affirmed that the Kingdom of Morocco, under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God protect him, the Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, remains committed to its unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian brothers and their legitimate institutions led by His Excellency President Mahmoud Abbas.
This commitment is upheld with a pragmatic approach guided by a sound understanding of Moroccan diplomacy regarding the profound transformations witnessed across the entire Middle East region.
In turn, the Palestinian Ambassador to Morocco, Jamal al-Shobaki, commended the initiative to establish the award, viewing it as a homage to Palestinian journalists and their extensive, professional, and responsible history.
Al-Shobaki highlighted the commitment of Palestinian journalists to uphold the truth, underscoring that the number of Palestinian journalists martyred in the media sector due to Israeli aggression has reached 142 since October 7.
Furthermore, the works of the winners were distributed among three categories. In the Podcast category, Palestinian student Jubran Massad won an award for his work titled “Here Radio Al-Quds,” while in Morocco, student Amima Kzir received the award for her work titled “Scream,” sharing it with student Salah al-Din Dmanati for his work titled “Manara.” (The Minaret)
In the television survey category, Moroccan student Mohammed Hamidi was awarded for his work titled “Israelizing Education in Jerusalem,” while from Palestine, the collaborative effort of students Randa Al-Rimawi and Sundus Awad was honored for their work titled “Sing for Jerusalem.”
As for the category of written-electronic journalistic reports, Moroccan student Leila Ghrabi was crowned for her work titled “Martyrs of Morocco: Sacrifice from the Spirit to Revive the Land of Peace.” However, the award in this category was withheld on the Palestinian side due to insufficient eligible submissions.
On this occasion, the Medal of Courage and Valor was presented to the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate. This medal, designated by the “Arribat” Monitoring and Evaluation Observatory affiliated with the Administration of the BMAQ Agency, is intended to honor journalists who have made sacrifices to uphold the values of freedom and justice.
The annual grant to support media freedom and journalism in Palestine was also awarded to two media institutions nominated by the Observatory team from Jerusalem: Radio Yabus and the media platform “Muhit.”
The judging panel of the award, chaired by Palestinian academic and novelist Walid Sharaf, a professor at Al-Quds University, included several professors and researchers working in journalism and media from both Morocco and Palestine.
The awards ceremony was interspersed with performances of eulogy and chanting in the authentic Moroccan style, performed by the Al-Furqan chanting group and Quran recitation in Salé.
It is worth mentioning that the establishment of the Al-Quds Asharif Award for Journalistic Excellence in Development Media falls within the framework of the interests of the BMAQ Agency in solidifying the humanitarian and social solidarity dimension in its work.
This is in line with the royal directives of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, to exert all efforts to support the Palestinians and their institutions.
The award responds to the desire of the Administration of the BMAQ Agency along with its partners, the Higher Institute of Media and Communication in Rabat, Morocco, and the Institute of Modern Media at Al-Quds University in Palestine, to instill awareness among generations about the Palestinian cause.
It also aims to encourage students of media and communication sciences in Morocco and Jerusalem, Palestine, to research and produce content related to the reality and future of the city of Jerusalem. This reflects the Agency’s concerns for development issues relevant to Jerusalem in the social, economic, and humanitarian domains.
