The News Room’s Neil Marks has once again proven his excellence on the global stage, winning the prestigious 2024 Media Award from the United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA). The glittering ceremony, held in New York last Friday night, was attended by an array of high-profile guests, including Deputy UN Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed and Hollywood actor Theo James, who was honoured as the UN Global Citizen of the Year.
Marks, known for his reporting on climate change, sustainable development, and political transparency, received the coveted award for his continued work spotlighting Guyana’s groundbreaking Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) and its transformative impact on indigenous communities.
Specifically, Marks won the Ricardo Ortega Memorial Prize for coverage of the United Nations, UN agencies and field operations and was presented his award by Miguel Ángel Moratinos, High Representative of the UN Alliance of Civilizations.
This marks the second time Marks has received the accolade, having first won the Prince Albert II of Monaco Prize for his exceptional coverage of climate change issues.
Marks reflected on the honour of his latest award.
“This award is a humbling reminder of the power of storytelling to create change. It’s not just my win—it’s a win for the communities whose stories I’ve had the privilege to tell, for the incredible News Room team I work with, and for every journalist who believes in the transformative power of our work,” he said.
In her address, Deputy UN Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed lauded the work of journalists for their courage, integrity, and their commitment to giving a voice to the voiceless.
“2024 has been a year of incredible turmoil for the global community; it has also been a powerful reminder of the importance of journalism and why your work is at the heart of what we do at the United Nations,” she said Mohammed, reading a speech on behalf of the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Gutierrez, who missed the event because of travel overseas.
“We can all agree that rigorous journalism is the backbone of accountability, of justice and protecting human rights, because facts are the greatest antidote to the lies, the disinformation, the false narratives fueling hate and division amongst humanity.”
This latest recognition caps a stellar year for Marks.
Early this year, he undertook the three-month Journalist in Residence Fellowship with the Stigler Centre of the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago, recognised as the leading institution for producing impactful management research, outperforming peers such as Stanford and Harvard.
Recently, Marks won three awards from the Caribbean Broadcasting Union: Best News Story on Poverty Reduction & Empowerment of Vulnerable Groups (Digital); Best TV Production on Land Degradation Neutrality award; and the Best Climate Change Investigative Report (Digital).
This year, Marks also won the award for Best Climate Justice Story from Climate Trakker, an international non-profit journalism network that supports the work of journalists covering the climate crisis.
His work has brought Guyana’s achievements in climate resilience and carbon financing to the forefront of global discussions, positioning the country as a leader in environmental innovation.
Marks’ achievements serve as a beacon of excellence and a powerful testament to the impact of committed journalism on the international stage.
Marks currently heads the News Room, He currently serves as the director, producer, and anchor at News Room Inc., a prominent media outlet in Guyana
. The glittering ceremony, held in New York last Friday night, was attended by an array of high-profile guests, including Deputy UN Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed and Hollywood actor Theo James, who was honoured as the UN Global Citizen of the Year.){kind=link}