Bearing witness. This is why they have been targeted and why they endure. And it is why we are honored to present the Gibran Special Recognition Award for Excellence in Reporting to the Journalists of Gaza at the 22nd Annual Kahlil Gibran Spirit of Humanity Awards Gala on Thursday, October 23, 2025 in Washington, D.C.

 Dear Friend,

Bearing witness. This is why they have been targeted and why they endure. And it is why we are honored to present the Gibran Special Recognition Award for Excellence in Reporting to the Journalists of Gaza at the 22nd Annual Kahlil Gibran Spirit of Humanity Awards Gala on Thursday October 23, 2025 in Washington, D.C. 

For nearly two years, the journalists of Gaza have reported, photographed, and investigated what is happening to the people of Gaza and the place they call home. From the network journalists to the seasoned freelancers, from the professional photojournalists to the children using their phones, they have risked everything to document what is happening in Gaza. As of this writing, at least 245 have been killed in what the Committee to Protect Journalists calls “the deadliest and most deliberate effort to kill and silence journalists that [we have] ever documented.”  In the face of this unprecedented targeting, it is their lenses and words that have documented Israel’s crimes, detailed Gaza’s pain, and given their people a voice.   

For more than two decades, the Gibran Gala has honored those whose work and vision embrace and embody the ideals of the great poet who hails from Lebanon—inclusion, compassion, and justice. In the face of unfathomable challenges and risks to their very lives, the journalists of Gaza exemplify this spirit. 

We are honored to share that joining us to accept the award on behalf of the journalists of Gaza will be award-winning photojournalist Motaz Azaiza. As someone who grew up photographing the daily resilience, hardship, and joy of life in Gaza, the 26-year did not foresee that his camera lens would capture the unfolding genocide in real-time to millions of people worldwide. Given that Israel forbids press to enter Gaza, Motaz and his fellow journalists became the only way the world could see and bear witness to the devastation—and to be moved to action. When Time named Motaz one of the 100 Most Influential People of 2024, they highlighted a central message of his work and that of his colleagues: “What is happening in Gaza is not content for you,” he said. “We are not telling you what is happening ... for your likes or views or shares. No, we are waiting for you to act. We need to stop this war.” 

While this remains a difficult time for all of us struggling to stop the war on Gaza and its people, we know we must all continue to elevate Gaza and a Special Recognition Award at this year’s Gibran Gala is one way to do just that. And to have Motaz, whose powerful images shared the story of the people of Gaza to many previously unfamiliar with the Palestinian struggle, accepting the award in person on behalf of his fellow journalists is an additional honor. 

I know you will want to be with us as we honor Motaz and the journalists of Gaza—and to keep the global spotlight on Gaza. 

We hope to see you on October 23rd.  

Maya    

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For more information about this year’s Gibran Gala, including to reserve tickets, book hotel accommodations, and read about the history of the awards, please visit: https://www.aaiusa.org/gibran-2025.  

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