“I knew how dangerous the truth was.
But I couldn’t turn away from it.”
I knew how dangerous the truth was. But I couldn’t turn away from it.
- Jürgen Hinzpeter
The Hinzpeter Award
The May 18 Foundation and the Korea Video Journalists Association jointly established the Hinzpeter Award in 2021 to discover and recognize video journalists who, like Jürgen Hinzpeter, exhibit a strong spirit of journalism by covering democratization movements worldwide and to spread their efforts and spirit globally.
- Jürgen Hinzpeter (1937-2016)
Jürgen Hinzpeter risked his life during the May 18 Democratic Uprising in 1980 to capture the scenes in Gwangju on video. He documented the brutal military crackdown on Gwangju citizens and delivered the footage to foreign media, significantly contributing to global awareness of the May 18 Democratic Uprising. - Background of the Award
During the May 18 Democratic Uprising in 1980, Jürgen Hinzpeter infiltrated Gwangju under strict military control to film the scenes. The footage he captured exposed the horrors of Gwangju to the world, fostering international solidarity and significantly impacting the democratization of South Korea.
Efforts to cultivate and protect democracy continue worldwide. Many video journalists strive to record the truth on the ground, just as Hinzpeter did. The Hinzpeter International Reporting Award aims to honor video journalists who fight to reveal the truth, serving as chroniclers of human rights and justice. - Categories for Submission
| Category | Award Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Competitive Section | The World at A Crossroads Award | One best work among the competitive section |
| Award for News | One excellent work among timely news reports related to the competition theme | |
| Award for Features | One excellent work among investigative reports and news documentaries related to the competition theme | |
| Non-competitive Section | May Gwangju Award | One selected broadcast video (news, documentary, etc.) by former/current video journalists contributing to democracy, human rights, and peace (direct applications and applications by proxy nominators are allowed) |
- Prize Money
USD 10,000 for each section - Eligibility
News and feature video reports capturing scenes of defending democracy, human rights, and peace, first broadcasted on TV or online media (The May Gwangju Award can be submitted regardless of the broadcast period)
Hinzpeter International Journalism Award Winners by Category
2022
| Category | Classification | Description |
|---|---|---|
| The World at A Crossroads Award | Winner | Philip Cox |
| Affiliation | Freelance Journalist | |
| Title | The Spider-Man of Sudan | |
| Introduction | The hopes and determination of Sudanese citizens as shown through the story of the 'Spider-Man' who resists the military coup in Sudan |
| Category | Classification | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Award for Features | Winners | Yoon Jae-wan / Jeon In-tae, Kim Dong-ryeol |
| Affiliation | Freelance Journalist / KBS Production Department PD | |
| Title | 68 Days on the Frontline | |
| Introduction | A vivid record of the war, capturing the devastation and resilience of people affected by the war in Ukraine |
| Category | Classification | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Award for News | Winner | Takuya Watanabe |
| Affiliation | Japan TBS | |
| Title | Afghanistan, Now | |
| Introduction | A report on the situation of Afghan residents suffering from food shortages and poverty in the Bamiyan region amidst the Taliban's reoccupation |
| Category | Classification | Description |
|---|---|---|
| May Gwangju Award | Winners | Late Shireen Abu Akleh, Majdi Bannoura |
| Affiliation | Palestine Al Jazeera | |
| Introduction | Shireen Abu Akleh, who worked at Al Jazeera, an Arab broadcasting channel, since 1997, covering issues between Palestine and Israel for 25 years, and Majdi Bannoura, the journalist who had to capture her being killed by Israeli occupation forces |
※ You can watch the award-winning works through the link below on the official website of the Hinzpeter International Journalism Award.
2021
| Category | Classification | Description |
|---|---|---|
| The World at A Crossroads Award | Winner | Mikhail Arshynski |
| Affiliation | Belsat TV (Based in Poland, Broadcast in Belarus) | |
| Title | Don’t be Afraid | |
| Introduction | The story of Belarusian people fighting the Lukashenko regime for fair elections during the 2020 presidential campaign |
| Category | Classification | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Award for News | Winner | Norman & Collin (Pseudonyms) |
| Affiliation | CNA (Singapore English News Channel, Yangon Bureau) | |
| Title | Myanmar Army Steps Up Enforcement Level | |
| Introduction | Exclusive coverage of the Myanmar military's violent crackdown on protesters and the use of tear gas, broadcasted worldwide |
| Category | Classification | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Award for Features | Winner | Bruno Federico |
| Affiliation | Freelance Journalist (Formerly with PBS USA, ABC Australia) | |
| Title | Desperate Journey 1, 2 | |
| Introduction | The story of people crossing the 'Darien Gap' at the Colombia-Panama border heading to the United States after the US's anti-immigration border policy |
| Category | Classification | Description |
|---|---|---|
| May Gwangju Award | Winner | Late You Young-Gil |
| Affiliation | CBS America in 1980 | |
| Introduction | First journalist to cover the deployment of martial law troops on Geumnam-ro, Gwangju on May 19, 1980, and broadcast it on TV news |
※ You can watch the award-winning works through the link below on the official website of the Hinzpeter International Journalism Award.
- Co-hosting Organizations and Official Website Information
The 5·18 Memorial Foundation and the Korean Video Journalists Association have established the Hinzpeter Awards Organizing Committee (HAOC), appointing journalists, media scholars, artists, and human rights and democracy activists from around the world as judges. This committee aims to ensure fair and authoritative judging to select winners, helping this award grow into a representative international journalism award worldwide. The committee seeks to create a new journalism award that differs from Western-centric perspectives and to foster a space for free and borderless solidarity among journalists.
