Unifor Honors Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate with Nelson Mandela Award

Strategic Insights -

The Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate (PJS) has been awarded the Nelson Mandela Award by Unifor, Canada's largest private sector union, in recognition of their courageous and unrelenting coverage of the conflict in Gaza. Unifor National President Lana Payne praised the PJS for their work, stating that they "show tremendous courage as they continue their work, in spite of bombs, bullets, and starvation." The award was presented to PJS President Naser Abu baker at Unifor's Constitutional Convention in Vancouver.

Key Takeaways:

  • Unifor awarded the Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate (PJS) the Nelson Mandela Award for their courageous and unrelenting coverage of the conflict in Gaza.
  • The award was presented to PJS President Naser Abu baker at Unifor's Constitutional Convention in Vancouver.
  • Unifor expressed its denunciation and condemnation of the killing of journalists in Gaza, including the recent deaths of four Al Jazeera journalists and two freelancers.
  • Israel's killing of journalists in Gaza is considered a war crime and an extreme attack on press freedom by Unifor.
  • The Nelson Mandela Award highlights the conditions Palestinian journalists and media workers continue to face, strengthening their motivation and resilience to carry on with their critical work on the ground.
  • Unifor represents more than 10,000 media workers and recognizes the importance of ensuring that journalists can report in safety, protected from unnecessary risk and harm.

Statistics:

  • At least 20 people, including five journalists, were killed in an Israeli strike on Nasser hospital in the south of the Gaza Strip.
  • Four Al Jazeera journalists and two freelancers were killed in an Israeli attack targeting their media tent near a hospital in Gaza.
  • Since the start of the conflict, over 500 Palestinians have been killed and thousands injured.

Sources:

[1] "Unifor Awards Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate 'Nelson Mandela Award' for Courageous Coverage of Gaza Conflict". WAFA. August 27, 2025.