Call for entries for the 2024 Michael Elliott Award for Excellence in African Storytelling!
The Michael Elliott Award for Excellence in African Storytelling is pleased to announce a call for entries, presented by the Elliott family, the ONE Campaign, and the International Centre for Journalists (ICFJ).
The prize recognises emerging journalists in Africa who work to elevate the voices of the voiceless and shed light on the revolutionary shifts occurring throughout the continent. Entries for the award must showcase innovative journalism that was released between December 1, 2022, and December 1, 2023. The calibre of the articles and the influence the winners’ contributions have had on the community will be taken into consideration. ICFJ invites exceptional submissions in any format, particularly those that have strong writing and analytical abilities.
The Award was created in memory of Michael Elliott, a distinguished editor, philanthropist, and former director of ICFJ. His life served as a living example of how narrative can both highlight and better the human condition. Before taking the helm of ONE as CEO, Elliott was a renowned editor at The Economist, Newsweek, and Time. He had expressed in 2016 his desire to create an award that would unite his devotion to African advancement with his conviction that excellent journalism should be recognised. This esteemed yearly award recognises up-and-coming African journalists who work to elevate people’s voices and shed light on the revolutionary changes occurring throughout the continent.
Past award winners include Mercy Juma and Dorcas Wangira of Kenya; Kiki Mordi, Abubakar Ibrahim, Zainab Bala, and Adekunle Adebajo from Nigeria; Farai Shawn Matiashe from Zimbabwe; and Bernadette Vivuya from the Democratic Republic of Congo. A distinguished international jury including media leaders from the US, UK, and Africa will select the winners. ICFJ will reach out to all applicants to notify them of their status by the spring of 2024.
Location:
OnlineBenefits
- The winners will receive a $5,000 cash prize and a personalized award certificate.
- The winners will have an extraordinary opportunity to spend two weeks at The Economist headquarters in London.
Eligibilities
- The contest is open to English-speaking journalists working in Africa for print, broadcast, and online news media. Applicants must have no more than 10 years of journalism experience.
- Applicants must submit one published piece that exemplifies Africa through thoughtful reporting and excellent storytelling. We are looking for impactful investigative or explanatory pieces, especially those illuminating transformational change in Africa.
- A copy of the published story or broadcast clip must be submitted in English. Works in other languages must include English translations. They welcome submissions from print, broadcast, or digital journalists. Multimedia submissions may include web, audio, video, visual, or mixed media.
- The submitted story must be published between December 1, 2022, and December 1, 2023.
Application Process
- Visit the Apply Link by clicking on the “APPLY NOW” button.
- Fill up all the cells as instructed.
Application Deadline: January 31, 2024
Application ClosedOfficial link
