Gebran Tueni was a unique figure in WAN-IFRA affairs for almost twenty years, as a leading member of our Press Freedom Committee, a Board member for more than a decade, a regular participant in missions to press freedom 'hot spots' and a constant adviser and support to the leadership of our organisation on Arab and press freedom issues. Perhaps no single individual contributed as much to our work in the free press field as Gebran in the recent history of our organisation.

WAN-IFRA honours his memory with an annual award designed to encourage the emergence of other courageous and independent individuals in publishing, editorial and news media from the Arab world.

The Award is made to the individual who is judged to have best demonstrated the values incarnated by Gebran Tueni and his newspaper: an attachment to the freedom and independence of the press, courage, leadership, ambition, high managerial and professional standards.

The Award jury consists of representatives of WAN-IFRA and the Tueni family. The first award was given at a "Press Under Siege" conference held in Beirut on 10 and 11 December, 2006.

Mr Tueni, an outspoken supporter of Lebanese democracy, was killed by a massive car bomb on 12 December, 2005. Although he knew he was a high-priority target for the killers trying to undermine the political process in Lebanon, he chose to stay at the helm of his newspaper which under his leadership was a beacon for independent journalism in the Arab world.

For more information on the Gebran Tueni Award, contact Larry Kilman, Deputy CEO and Director of Communications and Public Affairs at WAN-IFRA (larry.kilman@wan-ifra.org)