The Lina ben Mhenni Award
Award for Gender and Intersectional Justice in Honor of Lina Ben Mhenni
In 2021 the World Press Freedom Day, the AREACORE network launched the Award for Gender and Intersectional Justice in honor of Lina Ben Mhenni.
As an activist during the Arab Spring and an advocate of woman’s rights, Lina Ben Mhenni’s activism reflected a commitment to intersectional justice – evident, for example, in her involvement in reporting on human rights abuses during Ben Ali’s regime, but also in her role during the 2010/2011 uprisings in Tunisia and her fight for transitional and inclusive justice since then. As someone who recognized the potential of digital media to connect with Tunisian youth and spread a call for democratization, justice, dignity, and equality, her voice resonated with activists, students and journalists alike. She later came to symbolize a cultural icon of hope transcending national borders. Her book, “get connected”, chronicling the uprisings and her engagement in the public sphere, documents important shifts in journalistic practices.
Each year a call for applications seeks to honor Lina Ben Mhenni’s commitment and legacy as a blogger, activist, and scholar, and to serve as a starting point for developing different readings of Ben Mhenni’s contribution to justice.
The award is intended to recognize projects in media and communication studies and journalism studies that reflect her commitment and point to directions in which her all-too-brief life may lead us in the future.
The committee members:
Inas Abouyoussef (Ahram Canadian University in Cairo, Egypt)
Hamida el Bour (Manouba University, Tunisia)
Faten Ben Lagha (Sultan Qaboos University, Oman)
Kenza Oumlil (Al Akhawayn University, Morocco)
Anna Antonakis (swisspeace, Switzerland)
Sami Yassine Turki (Lina Ben Mhenni Foundation, Tunisia)
The award is generously sponsored by the German Academic Exchange Service.
Call for Applications: Gender and Intersectional Justice Award in Journalism and Communication Studies in Honor of Lina Ben Mhenni
On this May 3, 2023, International Press Freedom Day, we as partners of the AREACORE network are pleased to announce the third edition of the Gender and Intersectional Justice Award in honor of Lina Ben Mhenni.
As an activist during the Arab Spring and an advocate of woman’s rights, Lina Ben Mhenni’s activism reflected a commitment to intersectional justice – evident, for example, in her involvement in reporting on human rights abuses during Ben Ali’s regime, but also in her role during the 2010/2011 uprisings in Tunisia and her fight for transitional and inclusive justice since then. As someone who recognized the potential of digital media to connect with Tunisian youth and spread a call for democratization, justice, dignity, and equality, her voice resonated with activists, students and journalists alike. She later came to symbolize a cultural icon of hope transcending national borders. Her book, “get connected”, chronicling the uprisings and her engagement in the public sphere, documents important shifts in journalistic practices.
This call for applications seeks to honor Lina Ben Mhenni’s commitment and legacy as a blogger, activist, and scholar, and to serve as a starting point for developing different readings of Ben Mhenni’s contribution to justice.
The award is intended to recognize projects in media and communication studies and journalism studies that reflect her commitment and point to directions in which her all-too-brief life may lead us in the future.
We are therefore calling for graduation projects that address topics related to her work including, but not limited to:
– human rights and freedom of the press
– media and democratization
– gender and intersectional justice
– journalism and peace studies
– social mobilizations
Modalities:
The call is open to all undergraduate and graduate students in the field of media and communication studies and journalism studies from all types of higher education institutions in the Middle East and North Africa.
All projects that have been created in the context of seminars and have been submitted and evaluated at a higher education institution since 03.05.2022 onward can be submitted in English, Arabic or French.
The project must be submitted to the committee at areacore@polsoz.fu-berlin.de, stating the name, university, and listing research reports and projects.
Two award categories are distinguished, covering BA and MA degree programs:
Undergraduates (BA level)
Category A: Documentary film
Max 15-20 Minutes
Category B: Capstone Project
Around 30 pages
Two Prizes for categories A and B: 250 € each
Graduates (MA level)
MA research report /final thesis
Approx. 60 pages 16,000 Words
Prize: 500 €
Deadline for submissions: September 1, 2023.
Award winners will be notified by November 1, 2023 and invited to present their work in a virtual ceremony in December 2023.
We look forward to receiving your contributions!
Committee members:
Inas Abouyoussef (Ahram Canadian University in Cairo, Egypt)
Hamida el Bour (Manouba University, Tunisia)
Faten Ben Lagha (Sultan Qaboos University, Oman)
Kenza Oumlil (Al Akhawayn University, Morocco)
Anna Antonakis (Swiss Peace, Switzerland)
2022
İdil Deniz was born and raised in Istanbul, Turkey. She moved to Berlin for her studies and has been living there ever since. She studied Social and Cultural Anthropology and Communication Studies in her Bachelors and is now doing her Masters in Interdisciplinary Studies of the Middle East. During her Bachelors at the Freie Universität Berlin she has developed an interest in the role of social media in social transformation processes and feminist movements. As a survivor of sexual violence herself, she is aiming for creating survivor-informed discourses on sexual violence and making the survivors voices more visible.
Her Submission:
Telling as Resistance – Making Sexual Violence Public in Istanbul by Idil Deniz şakar
Category : Capstone project (BA level)
2021
Fatima Zahra Bassim, 23 Years old, is originally from Marrakesh, Morocco. She has a bachelor in arts of Communication Studies and International Studies from Al Akhawayn University Studies and is interested in gender and politics and planning to conduct further research in these fields.
Her Submission:
The Construction of Moroccan Women’s Identity in Moroccan Films by Fatima Zahra Bassim
Category: Capstone project (BA level)
2023
Kawtar El Azouki is a Moroccan feminist writer who recently earned a master’s degree in Communication and Digital Media with a 4.0 GPA summa cum laude from Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane, Morocco. From an early age, Kawtar believed defending women’s rights was her true calling. As a gifted writer, she weaponized her pen to challenge misogyny. Along with a short story titled “The Gypsy”, four of her poems were published on the university’s creative website including “Breaking Free”, “Curses”, “Surrender” and “Wishes”, a feminist poem voicing the fantasies of a persecuted woman. She performed this poem at The Closing Ceremony of Women’s Celebration Week held by the university, which she hosted and presented in 2022. Kawtar also published a Spotify podcast about women in Islam in collaboration with Woxsen University and interviewed Moroccan actor Mansour Badri about his acting journey. Having a soft spot for stray animals, she previously worked on a project exploring the hardships endured by stray cats and dogs in the city of Ifrane, known for its harsh weather.
Her submission:
The Portrayal of Physical Abuse Against Women and Polygyny as Structural Violence in Soussi-Amazigh Films
Category: Graduate (MA level)
2022
Ons Ben Ghorbel is an active member of civil society, a defender of human rights who recently graduated Master of Political communications at IPSI. During her studies, she worked on volunteering projects about encouraging women to participate in the political sphere and participation in collecting books for children in the marginalized part of Tunisia. She believes in the importance of human beings, is aware to defend their rights and participates fighting for them. She provided numerous actions for the communication of women’s rights in the process of carrying out a project that encourages women to participate in political life by training courses.
Her submission:
The Academy of Political Communication A.C.P. by Ons Ben Ghorbel
Category: Graduate (MA level)
2021
Maria Harb is a Lebanese activist and scholar who recently completed her master’s degree in International Development and Humanitarian Emergencies at the London School of Economics and Political Science. During her undergraduate studies in Psychology at the American University of Beirut, she worked on multiple volunteering and advocacy projects with Syrian refugee mothers and girls, as well as young women with disabilities. She played a considerable role in highlighting the importance of issues including intersectional feminism by participating in photojournalism exhibitions, publishing articles in the university’s newspaper, giving talks, and organizing several events. She was also the co-founder of an online blog which aimed to tackle topics considered to be taboo subjects in Lebanon—including women’s body image and mental health.
Her submission:
Challenging the Gender Status Quo in Revolution & Post-Disaster Contexts: Women in Lebanon Pervading the Streets By Maria Harb
Category: Graduate (MA level)
2023
Kefaya Saada Issa (Idea & Direction) is from Palestine – Qalqilya – Kafr Thalth. She graduated this year from the Palestine Technical University – Kadoorie (PTUK) with a degree in Media Technology, achieving a remarkable 90.5 GPA. Her passion for journalism, rooted in her childhood dream, has always been to convey the message of the Palestinian issue to the world. Following her graduation, she now works as a research and teaching assistant at the university from which she graduated.
Kefaya Saada Issa possesses diverse experiences, having undergone various trainings and acquired practical skills in journalism and other disciplines. She has a particular fondness for documentaries that convey truth to the world. Drawing inspiration from this passion, she and her colleagues have embarked on the preparation of their first film “Another World”. Kefaya conceptualized and directed the documentary, which served as her university graduation project.
With the honor of winning the Lina ben Mhenni Award, Kefaya looks forward to completing her master’s studies soon. This achievement marks a significant step as she eagerly anticipates commencing her professional journey.
Taima Mahmoud Kamel Abadi (Editing) is from Palestine – Jenin – Ya’bad, recently graduated from Palestine Technical University – Kadoorie (PTUK), majoring in media technology, with an impressive grade point average of 82.9. As a Palestinian, she has always harbored a deep interest and desire to convey the Palestinian message to the world. For her, the press and media serve as potent tools, akin to a sword, to achieve this goal. Taima consistently sought to comprehend the Palestinian national cause and endeavored to convey it optimally to a diverse audience.
Throughout her studies, she gained valuable experiences and information in media but also delved into various disciplines. Her overarching goal was personal growth, prompting her active participation in training programs to acquire journalistic skills, enabling her to effectively communicate the issue of Palestine to the world.
In her graduation project, “Another World,” Taima and her colleagues endeavored to convey the idea of the suffering experienced by liberated Palestinian prisoners. They achieved this through a poignant comparison between the life of the prisoner in captivity and after release. Through the documentary, Taima aimed to fulfill her perpetual goal — putting the spotlight on the Palestinian issue globally, with the ultimate aspiration of attaining the freedom that has always been the dream of her people.
Sujood Bader Muhammad Qashoub (Mixing) from Palestine – Tulkarm, successfully graduated this year from Palestine Technical University – Kadoorie (PTUK), earning a bachelor’s degree with a specialization in media technology. Throughout her academic journey, she garnered a multitude of skills and experiences, encompassing news writing, reportage, and various forms of photography, including the production of documentaries, editing, and more.
Her commitment to growth extended beyond the classroom, as evidenced by her three-year voluntary training at a news site and active participation in numerous courses. In her final academic year, Sujood, alongside her colleagues, undertook the creation of a documentary film titled “Another World” as their graduation project. The film achieved distinction by winning the Lina Ben Mhenni Award, shedding light on a crucial issue—the plight of prisoners in occupation prisons. It particularly focuses on the post-release life of Palestinian prisoners, highlighting the profound differences that occur in their lives.
Dania Salman (Photography) played a crucial role in the production of the film “Another World.” Her responsibilities extended beyond basic photography, focusing instead on the fundamental aspects of photography—lighting and configuring the camera settings for professional shots. The project involved capturing a variety of shots, ranging from very close-up to general, and very general. The essence of photography in this context lies in transforming materials, transitioning from hand-drawn images on paper to visually compelling content captured through cameras intended for television and social networking sites. Two cameras were employed for this purpose: the first for general shots, capturing the broader context, while the second, utilized during filming, added diversity with close and very close shots.
Dania’s involvement in the volunteer work initiated by the Qamat Film Foundation, specifically addressing the Palestinian issue, demonstrates her commitment to supporting talents in media work.
Alaa Bassam Fathi Al-Safarini (Sound) from Palestine – Tulkarm, recently graduated from Palestine Technical University – Kadoorie (PTUK), with a specialization in technological media. Her affinity for media has been a lifelong passion, dating back to her childhood.
In the realm of political work, Alaa has garnered both political and social experiences. Her focus within this domain has equipped her with the ability to discern between accurate and inaccurate, reliable and unreliable information. Through training with various emerging organizations, she has honed her skills and developed a keen interest in matters concerning Palestinians and prisoners in occupation prisons.
Motivated by this dedication, Alaa, along with her colleagues, undertook the creation of a documentary film as a graduation project. “Another World” delves into the life of a prisoner who spent 21 years in occupation prisons, shedding light on the complex narratives surrounding their experiences.
Their Submission:
Another World, a film by Kefaya Issa (Idea & Directing), Dania Salman (Photography), Sherin Barham (Lighting), Alaa Safarini (Sound), Taima Abadi (Editing), and Sujood Qashou (Mixing)
Category A: Documentary film Max 15-20 Minutes (BA level)
2022
“I’m Marah Mahmood Mohammad Owienah, from Palestine-Bethlehem-Battir. I graduated this year from Birzeit University with a major in mass media, with a grade of 3.3. I studied journalism because I have an interest in this major, and my knowledge that the Palestinian issue needs a lot of coverage. I carried many experiences over 4 years, so I became able to interview and extract information from people at all levels, as well as excellent command of the English language and proficiency in a variety of writing styles. I am enthusiastic to find a new challenge at a reputable institution, where I can employ my communication, computer, and problem-solving skills. These experiences I gained from the practical courses offered by the university and from my training in Palestine Educational TV, in addition to a group of electronic courses during the Corona period. I participated in voluntary work during the Qamat Foundation’s launch of a group of films about the Palestinian cause. From this experience, I realized the importance of presenting the Palestinian cause through films.
With this in mind, my colleague and I began preparing our first film, Birzeit Against the Occupation, which won the Lina Ben Mhenni award. Now I am looking forward to my first work, while volunteering with a monitoring network to follow up on the health of the spread news, and I look forward to completing my master’s education and getting a job in the coming period.”
“I am Mayada Kamal Ali Bader from Beit-Liqya/Ramallah-Palestinian Citizen. I graduated this year from Birzeit university major in mass media, GPA: (3.25/4) Honor List (2018-2022). I hope for freedom and liberty for all Palestinians and humanity. I am optimistic and eager to learn and expand my knowledge and experience in media with strong organizational, communication and motivational skills. I am a quick learner with my ability to write, draft, edit and investigate and analyze reports and news. I shine in filming and producing illustrated materials such as digital stories, reports, short films, and radio episodes. I feel that I am creative and have mastery in producing practical materials more than theory, and the ability to plan and persuade to reach the best result. I have acquired all the skills that I mentioned through my studies at the university and my participation in many training courses inside and outside the university with Palestinian media institutions and agencies, to be a journalist to be able to convey the cause of my country in the best way.
I am constantly striving for self-development and I plan to study a master’s degree as soon as possible, in order to get to the work that I love, which achieves my goal of studying the media, which is to communicate the Palestinian cause to the world to achieve the freedom that we have always dreamed of.”
Their Submission:
Birzeit University in the Face of the Occupation, a film by Mayada Bader and Marah Owienah
Category A: Documentary film Max 15-20 Minutes (BA level)
2021
Their submission:
Media Representation of Women in Morocco,
a film by Soufyane Moussaoui & Jamal Khalil
Category A: Documentary film Max 15-20 Minutes (BA level)