CPJ gala honors five journalists and sets fundraising record

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 21 November 2025 |  JP Global Monitoring Desk

The Committee to Protect Journalists recognized five courageous journalists at its annual gala, which achieved a record fundraising total. Speakers emphasized the ongoing challenges journalists face globally.

Summary

NEW YORK — The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) honored five journalists at its 35th annual International Press Freedom Awards in New York, marking a record fundraising year with $2.925 million raised to support reporters worldwide.

Press Freedom Challenges

This year’s honorees were Dong Yuyu, a veteran Chinese journalist imprisoned on espionage charges; Elvira del Pilar Nole and Juan Carlos Tito, an Ecuadoran reporting team now exiled in Canada; Bolot Temirov, an investigative journalist from Kyrgyzstan working from exile in Europe; and Sonia Dahmani, a Tunisian lawyer, writer, and media commentator jailed for her work. It is the first time none of the awardees could attend the ceremony in person.

CPJ CEO Jodie Ginsberg urged the global journalism community to confront rising threats. “This is not a drill,” she said. “It requires bravery but it requires a little less bravery if we all stand up together.”

Recognition and Urgency

Hosted by Christiane Amanpour, the event highlighted both the courage of the awardees and the worsening global climate for media. Speakers underscored the dangers journalists face, from imprisonment to forced exile. Presenters including Juan Arredondo, Garry Pierre-Pierre, Katharine Viner, and Ayman Mohyeldin detailed each honoree’s sacrifices and continued reporting under pressure.

The ceremony also featured a message from Palestinian journalist and 2024 IPFA recipient Shrouq Al Aila, whose remarks were read by colleagues. She described her commitment to documenting Gaza’s recovery and the enduring power of journalism.

CPJ’s board presented the 2025 Gwen Ifill Award to David McCraw of The New York Times for his service to press freedom. The dinner was chaired by Almar Latour of Dow Jones, with proceeds supporting CPJ’s global assistance and advocacy work.

PHOTO: Christiane Amanpour, CNN’s Chief International Anchor and a longtime supporter of CPJ, speaks onstage during the 35th annual International Press Freedom Awards (IPFA) at The Glasshouse on November 20, 2025, in New York City. (Barbara Nitke)

ATTRIBUTION: Reporting for this story draws on material supplied by the Committee to Protect Journalists.