(BANGLADESH, February 15, 2022)—On February 15, the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences awarded Fortify Rights and Doha Debates an Anthem Award for training and supporting Rohingya refugee photographers in Bangladesh. This project received a silver award in “Best Local Community Engagement.”
The Anthem Awards are a new initiative of the Webby Awards to celebrate “the purpose and mission-driven work of people, companies, and organizations worldwide.” A panel of judges, including actors Daniel Dae Kim and Ashley Judd as well as prominent business and organization leaders, selected the winners from nearly 2,500 submissions from 36 countries.
The Rohingya Media Fellows project is a joint initiative of Fortify Rights and Doha Debates to develop the skills and promote the work of aspiring Rohingya refugee photographers. Fortify Rights and Doha Debates have provided trainings in conducting interviews and creating character portraits for photography and films and equipped the Media Fellows with hardware and access to social media platforms, enabling them to share their own stories with a wider audience. The joint project between the Media Fellows, Fortify Rights, and Doha Debates was a finalist for the 2019 Shorty Awards and won a Shorty Award in 2020.
On August 25, 2021, Fortify Rights and Doha Debates published a 23-minute documentary film, “Exodus,” which delves into the lives of the Media Fellows. You can also follow the Media Fellows’ work on Instagram: @azimulhass, @dilkayas, and @omalkha.