Highland News & Media journalist scoops prize at 2024 Refugee Festival Scotland Media Awards

Highland News & Media journalist Val Sweeney has scooped a top award recognising media coverage of asylum and refugee issues in Scotland.

She was named Local News Award Winner in the Refugee Festival Scotland Media Awards at a ceremony in Glasgow this week.

Her winning entry featured interviews with displaced Ukrainian families in the Highlands as they faced their second Christmas and New Year away from their war-torn homeland.

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The awards, which also included broadcast, radio, news and features categories, were judged by representatives from the UN Refugee Agency, the National Union of Journalists Scotland, Scottish Refugee Council and community groups.

Jonathan Clark, of The Northern Scot which is also part of Highland News & Media, was also shortlisted in the Local News category.

Highland News & Media publishes numerous other newspapers in the Highlands, Moray and Aberdeenshire – including the John O’Groat Journal, the Caithness Courier, and the Northern Times.

Scottish Refugee Council chief executive Sabir Zazai said the winners and runner-ups showcased powerful storytelling, responsible journalism and provided a platform for the voices of people seeking protection in Scotland.

“The last year has been incredibly tough for people in the refugee community,” he said.

“Basic human rights have been placed under threat and we have seen toxic narratives and harmful misconceptions touted consistently in the media.

“Responsible, accurate and thoughtful storytelling to counter this is vital.

“That’s why we’re celebrating the work of journalists in Scotland whose articles have sensitively reflected the everyday reality for people seeking safety here.”

Refugee Festival Scotland kicks off today with 10 days of events highlighting the stories of people who have settled in Scotland.

More than 150 events will take place across the country from 14-23 June.

Events in the Highlands include a free screening of Limbo, a 2020 British comedy-drama film, at Eden Court Theatre in Inverness and a stained glass workshop for New Scots individuals and families in Inverness.

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