A report on the health impact of burning oil and gas in the Kurdistan Region won its five-author team the Second Prize in the Excellence in Environmental Journalism category at the Fetisov Journalism Awards last month.

The award ceremony was held in Istanbul, Turkiye on April 22. This year, the shortlist for the Fetisov Journalism Awards 2023 consisted of 26 stories representing journalists from 20 countries around the world. 

The winners for the 2023 #FetisovJournalismAwards have been announced!
Learn more: https://t.co/pUo8Oy5r95
Huge congratulations to all the winners!???@Schmuckraker @jacklosh @julnueno @last_christina @AlannahTravers @StellaMartany @marielbanunez @VictoriaInojosa @HughKCphoto pic.twitter.com/IETHBiwues

— Fetisov Journalism Awards (@fjawards) April 22, 2024

“At the Fetisov Journalism Awards ceremony, our team including Christina Last, Tom Brown, Alannah Travers, and Kuek Ser Kuang Keng was honored to receive the second prize for Excellence in Environmental Journalism,” co-author Stella Martany, who hails from Shaqlawa, told Kurdistan Chronicle.

“This award recognizes our investigative report detailing the environmental impact of oil and gas burning on the health of civilians in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.” 

“Despite the reduced international media focus on Iraq amid ongoing global conflicts, we remain committed to shedding light on crucial stories in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region,” she added. 

“Our continued coverage aims to inform the global community and contribute to a better understanding of the region’s challenges and opportunities, ultimately supporting the country’s progress and development.”