The Results of the Suitcase 2024 Media Award Announced

Published: Dec 20, 2024 Reading time: 2 minutes

On 18 December, International Migrants Day, the annual Suitcase Media Award ceremony was held. For 14 years, Suitcase has been highlighting the best examples of migration coverage in journalism. The award aims to raise public awareness of migration issues and encourage quality journalism. The ceremony was organised through joint efforts of the Migration and Citizenship Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the UN Refugee Agency, and People in Need. The evaluation committee reviewed 96 submissions from 48 journalists.

The award ceremony was attended by Armen Ghazaryan, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Nelli Davtyan, the Head of Migration and Citizenship Service, Vassilis Maragos, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the European Union Delegation to Armenia, Monica Sandri, UNHCR Representative in Armenia, Varduhi Dadunts, Country Director, People in Need Armenia, and journalists and representatives from organising parties and partners.

The grand prize of Suitcase-2024 was awarded to EVN Report journalist Arshaluys Barseghyan for the article Armenia as a Refuge: Who's Seeking Asylum?

Second place went to Factor TV journalist Araks Mamulyan for her research on myths prevalent among Artsakh Armenians.

The third place was shared between Hetq.am journalists Lena Sahakyan, Armen Ghazaryan, and Seda Grigoryan for their report "Artsakh, 19 September: Interrupted Childhood" and News.am journalist Taguhi Melkonyan for her article "Indian migrants' Blood Saves Lives in Armenia".

Six journalists received encouragement awards for covering important topics such as repatriation, labour migration, the Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians issue, and other significant themes.

The Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs awarded an encouragement prize to Gohar Abrahamyan for her EVN Report article "Welcome" to Armenia's Experience With Repatriation."
Armenian Caritas awarded Sona Hovsepyan for her article "No More Warm Words" about labour migration published on Novaya Gazeta.eu.
Hetq.am journalist Rima Grigoryan was awarded for her articles "Would You Like Me to Tell You About Our War" and "I Go to Sleep in Hadrut, Wake Up in Vanadzor."

Radar.am journalist Hayk Magoyan received an award for his articles "Armenia on the 'Rocky' Road to Visa Liberalisation" and "To Become or Not to Become an Armenian Citizen: Why Artsakh Armenians Hesitate."
Hetq Media Factory students Syuzanna Ohanyan, Ani Balayan, and Milena Gevorgyan were awarded for their work "On the Suitcase."

Armeniatoday.news journalist Nare Nersesyan was awarded for her articles "A Handful of Soil from Artsakh Has Sprouted: Artsakh Native Narine Matevosyan Establishes a Farm in Shgharshik Village," "How Can Artsakh Residents Benefit from State Support for Housing Acquisition," and "One Year Without Artsakh: About the Timeline of the 2023 Azerbaijani Attack and Displacement of Indigenous Armenians."

Suitcase 2024 is co-organised by the Migration and Citizenship Service, People in Need, and UNHCR Armenia. The event is co-funded by the European Union, contracted by ICMPD through the Migration Partnership Facility, and by UNHCR Armenia.