The United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA) Awards Committee Announces 2009 Winners at Annual Award Dinner and Dance

The United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA) Awards Committee Announces 2009 Winners at Annual Award Dinner and Dance

INVITES 2010 ENTRIES UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon honors: -- Press winners of 2009 UNCA Awards -- Bill Roedy, Chairman and Chief Executive, MTV Networks International UNCA Global Citizen of the Year

NEW YORK, Dec. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- UNCA's 2009 14th Annual Awards Dinner and Dance will be held on Friday, December 4, 2009 at the UN Delegates Dining Room in New York. Guest of Honor UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will present awards with prizes totaling over $40,000 to journalists from all over the world for the best media coverage of the UN and its agencies.

Bill Roedy, Chairman and Chief Executive of MTV Networks International (MTVNI) will be honored for his work in HIV/AIDS outreach and for addressing key issues that affect young people around the world.

"I am very honored and humbled to accept the UN Citizen of the Year award on behalf of MTV Networks, especially given tonight's distinguished recipients," says Bill Roedy. "The world is more complex than ever and communication and education are vital to facing its huge challenges. At MTVN, our connection with different cultures has the ability to make a difference around the world. We will continue to work in partnership with the UN to reflect our key beliefs of unity, diversity and tolerance to try to make the world a better place."

Added Ian Williams, UNCA Awards Chair: "The annual UNCA Awards recognize those who have made a real difference to the work of the UN. This year we are thrilled to name Bill Roedy 'Global Citizen of the Year' for his and MTV's endeavors in HIV/AIDS outreach as well as outreach concerning other key issues facing young people."

The reception begins at 6:30 PM followed by dinner at 7:30 PM, and will end with dancing and live music. This will be the last Awards dinner at UN Headquarters before the historic building closes for a multi-year renovation project.

The 2009 media winners are:

The Prince Albert Foundation/UNCA Global Prize for coverage of Climate Change

   Gold: Nathanial Gronewold, E&E Publishing   Silver: John Heilprin, Associated Press  

Bronze: Ilya Gridneff, Australian AP, Papua New Guinea/Natasha Loder, The Economist

The Elizabeth Neuffer Memorial Prize, for written media coverage of the UN and its agencies, sponsored by the Alexander Bodini Foundation

Joint Gold: Louis Charbonneau, Reuters, Stephen Stecklow/Andrew Higgins, Wall Street Journal

Joint Silver: James Reinl, The National, UAE; Betsy Pisik, Washington Times

The Ricardo Ortega Memorial Prize for broadcast coverage of the UN, and its agencies, sponsored by the World Council of Peoples for the United Nations

Gold: Barbara Angopa, National TV, Uganda

Silver: Andrew Geoghan and MaryAnn Jolly, "Foreign Correspondent," Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Joint Bronze, Samuel Agyemang, Metro TV, Ghana & Duilio Giammaria, RAI Italy

The United Nations Foundation Prize for any entry in any medium that best covers the humanitarian and development aspects of the U.N. and its agencies

Gold: Gloria Chang, Guatevision (Guatemala).

Joint Silver: Yvonne Ndege, Al Jazeera English /Silvia Bessa. Diario de Pernambuco Brazil

The UNCA Awards Committee is a 501 c 3 organization set up by UNCA to encourage better journalistic coverage of the United Nations. Donations to it are tax deductible under New York State and Federal Law.

This year's working committee included:

Ian Williams, Giampaolo Pioli, J.Tuyet Nguyen, Frank Ucciardo, Jim Wurst, Margaret Besheer and Melorine Mokri.

   2009 Judges   Chair of Awards Committee, Ian Williams   Panel Convener, Jim Wurst   Ambassador Diego Arria   Jeffrey Laurenti, The Century Foundation   Georges Leclere, Global Media Advisor   Samir Sanbar, Former head, UN Department of Public Information   Robert Skinner, UN Foundation   Isabelle Peters, Prince Albert Foundation    Entries welcomed for the 15th Annual UNCA Media Awards, 2010   

UNCA invites media worldwide to submit entries for its 15th Annual UNCA Awards for the best written and electronic media coverage of the United Nations, its agencies and field operations. The prizes amount to over $40,000 with $10,000 each for the main categories.

   There are no entry fees of any kind for submissions.    The Awards now include:   --  The Prince Albert Foundation/UNCA Global Prize for coverage of Climate       Change   --  The Elizabeth Neuffer Memorial Prize, sponsored by the Alexander       Bodini Foundation for written media (including online media) coverage       of the UN and its agencies and their work.   --  The Ricardo Ortega Memorial Prize sponsored by the World Council of       Peoples for the United Nations for broadcast journalism coverage of       the UN, and its agencies.   --  The United Nations Foundation prize for any entry in any medium that       best covers the humanitarian and development aspects of the U.N. and       its agencies.    The awards are open to all journalists anywhere in the world    --  The 2010 awards cover published between 1 September 2009 and 31 August       2010.   --  The judges will look for entries with impact, insight and originality,       and will take into account the courage and assiduity of the       journalist. Investigative work is welcome.   --  We particularly welcome entries from outside the USA and even more so       from developing world media.   --  A written transcript assists judging of radio and TV entries.   --  Multiple or joint entries will be accepted.   --  Entries not in a UN official language should be translated into       English or French. Video entries should be in disc format.  Electronic       versions of audio and written entries are welcomed.   --  Scanned or email entries to: unca-awards@igc.org   --  For hard copies or discs sent by mail or courier, the address is:                            UNCA Awards Committee                                Mailbox 613                           The Chrysler Building                            132 East 43rd Street                          New York, NY 10017, USA                             +1 (212) 867-0001  

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: MTV Networks International

CONTACT: For reservations and more information about the dinner, please
visit www.unca.com or contact Sandra Winter, United Nations Correspondents
Association Office, at +1 212-963-7137; Ian Williams, +1-212-686-8884,
unca-awards@igc.org

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Profile: International Entertainment