Courage in Journalism: Shining a Light to Crisis

Journalism today is in a state of continual change. Digital technologies are transforming our field at a dizzying pace. The very definition of journalist has grown to include citizens, who often are the first to break news. But as our profession reinvents itself, our mission as journalists has stood the test of time.
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Journalism today is in a state of continual change. Digital technologies are transforming our field at a dizzying pace. The very definition of journalist has grown to include citizens, who often are the first to break news.

But as our profession reinvents itself, our mission as journalists has stood the test of time.

Journalists are our witnesses to history. They are on scene to explain what's taking place so that we are all better informed. They cast light on officials and hold them accountable to their citizens. The best journalists dare to tell the stories that would otherwise remain in the shadows. They give voice to the voiceless, playing a critical role in exposing human rights abuses.

I'm delighted that the International Center for Journalists is able to honor New York Times correspondent Rukmini Callimachi for doing just that. The power of compelling storytelling will take center stage in Yerevan, Armenia, as Callimachi receives our Integrity in Journalism Award. This weekend members of the international humanitarian community - Nobel Laureates, politicians, activists, business leaders, celebrities and journalists - have come together to celebrate great acts of human courage with the Aurora Prize and to recognize the journalists who bring those stories to light with our award.

Callimachi has relentlessly reported on some of the most atrocious human rights violations. She has investigated sex slavery in her story, ISIS Enshrines a Theology of Rape. She covered the Islamic insurgency in Mali for the Associated Press, uncovering a trove of documents that revealed Al-Qaeda's inner workings. She also went to the Malian desert to dig up bodies of the missing and chronicled her six months there.

We often overlook the role brave journalists like Callimachi play in uncovering violence, injustice and human suffering. They do this work at great personal risk. As never before, they are targeted by nefarious groups, from ISIS in the Middle East to drug lords in Latin America. Our hope is that their reports will rouse the public conscience and catalyze change.

There is still immense work to do. A community of international investigative reporters just unearthed a trove of information in the Panama Papers, leading to stories of corruption at the highest levels of government. At the same time, our world remains mired in conflict. Gender violence is rampant. Millions are displaced and stateless.

We need to find ways to protect the storytellers both physically and digitally so that they can report on the difficult stories involving untold victims. Without their coverage, we run the risk that abuses remain hidden. As we know from past genocides, we cannot stand on the sidelines at a time when we have more digital resources and platforms than ever before to communicate what's happening and to engage audiences and catalyze societal change.

We need more Rukmini Callimachis, who tell rich and reliable stories from the dark corners of the earth. It's a proud moment when we can honor her.

This post is part of a series produced by The Huffington Post and the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity, a new global humanitarian award which is being presented during a weekend of events in Armenia April 22-24. The series aims to recognize the exceptional impact the Prize finalists' actions have had on advancing humanitarian causes, and raise awareness of the weekend's humanitarian discussions, the Aurora Dialogues. For more information, visit www.auroraprize.com.

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