International Journalist of the Year impresses at ACT conference

Zohra Ehsani, International Journalist of the Year 2022 winner, joined The Day team at the ACT Citizenship Teaching Conference in July to share her experiences as a budding young journalist.

What better way to showcase the importance of journalism in schools than hearing directly from a young journalist first-hand?

International Journalist of the Year, Zohra Eshahni, was invited onto the stage to talk about her experiences of journalism in school. She spoke during Richard Addis’ How to start your own newspaper in School: Advocacy through Global Journalists workshop, helping to inspire citizenship teachers to bring current affairs into the classroom by starting a school newspaper.

Zohra talked about the opportunity she received through the Global Young Journalist Awards, outlining how “journalism in school is important because it gives a student a chance to explore and find out what today’s news is about”.

At just 14 years old, she wrote a mature report on female suppression named The silenced women under the Taliban which sensitively covered the restrictions placed on women and girls’ education, work and healthcare. At the conference she said: “I wrote about a topic I very much care about. I wrote about the women’s current status and rights under the Taliban.”

Zohra spoke about her passion for this topic, what journalism means to her and the learning experience she’s had from this competition with the wisdom of someone much older. Holding her own on the stage next to The Day’s founder and editor-in-chief Richard Addis and in front of an audience of citizenship teachers, she captivated the room with the way she spoke. Teachers and The Day editors alike who attended the conference were impressed by her enthusiasm and ability to tell stories.

“Getting this award gave me confidence in what I can actually do,” Zohra explained. “[It made me] grateful for all the opportunities I have around me and not let them go to waste because there are people in this world that dream of having an education and opportunities like this. As well as this, it taught me to not underestimate myself and that I can actually do a lot of things when I put my heart to it.”

Her writing was praised enthusiastically by the Global Young Journalist Awards judges, described as “well written and carefully thought through” by broadcaster Afua Hirsch, with Joanna Milis,Education Campaigns Manager at the Fairtrade Foundation adding that it was “so beautifully written”. “I love that there are quotes from women,” Milis continued. “The writing style is very accomplished, with well-developed descriptions and stark points of opinion.”

Zohra complimented Richard Addis’ workshop, which touched on how journalism can be used as a vehicle to navigate topics ranging from misinformation to climate change. “Not all countries have the same privileges,” she said. “Some people as individuals may not have the facilities to help, but one thing everyone can do is awareness.”

She also explained how her school has a newspaper written by a group of students called the Priory Press. “It’s voluntary and anyone can participate. The newspaper article can be on multiple different topics for example, what happens in school, sport achievement within and out of school etc. It isn’t solely based on everything within school. This is then edited by our head boy and then submitted on the school website where both parents, students and others can access it. I think a way to make it better is making the press more well known within the school and read it on a regular basis.”

The workshop formed part of this year’s ACT conference. Guest speakers including MP Jess Philips and lecturer Dr Ali Body spoke about the challenges the next generation will face and how citizenship education can give young people the skills and empowerment they need to make a difference.

Zohra’s whole family came down to London for the conference from Lincoln, and it was clear to everyone around just how proud they were. Zohra did herself and her family proud, showing the true makings of a young journalist.

Her writing was praised enthusiastically by the Global Young Journalist Awards judges, described as “well written and carefully thought through” by broadcaster Afua Hirsch, with Joanna Milis,Education Campaigns Manager at the Fairtrade Foundation adding that it was “so beautifully written”. “I love that there are quotes from women,” Milis continued. “The writing style is very accomplished, with well-developed descriptions and stark points of opinion.”

Zohra complimented Richard Addis’ workshop, which touched on how journalism can be used as a vehicle to navigate topics ranging from misinformation to climate change. “Not all countries have the same privileges,” she said. “Some people as individuals may not have the facilities to help, but one thing everyone can do is awareness.”

She also explained how her school has a newspaper written by a group of students called the Priory Press. “It’s voluntary and anyone can participate. The newspaper article can be on multiple different topics for example, what happens in school, sport achievement within and out of school etc. It isn’t solely based on everything within school. This is then edited by our head boy and then submitted on the school website where both parents, students and others can access it. I think a way to make it better is making the press more well known within the school and read it on a regular basis.”

The workshop formed part of this year’s ACT conference. Guest speakers including MP Jess Philips and lecturer Dr Ali Body spoke about the challenges the next generation will face and how citizenship education can give young people the skills and empowerment they need to make a difference.

Zohra’s whole family came down to London for the conference from Lincoln, and it was clear to everyone around just how proud they were. Zohra did herself and her family proud, showing the true makings of a young journalist.