The International Press and Broadcasting Council of the London based Next Foundation  awarded Daoud Kuttab, the peace through media award Saturday April 9^th, 2011. The ceremony held at the Oxford and Cambridge club was hosted by Lord Stone of Blackheath and sponsored by MBI International.

The award was presented “In acknowledgment of the way in which high standards of journalism are a means towards reaching a more harmonious and concordant world without its present plagues of fear and violence.” The award specified Kuttab’s work in particular arenas, including “Palestine, press freedom and the Middle East peace process.”

In receiving the award, Kuttab emphasized the importance to adhere to truth. “If the first casualty of war is the truth, then the prerequisite for peace must be truth,” Kuttab told the international London audience, which included media and political leaders.

Kuttab was selected from a shortlist of 13 prominent journalists. The jury carrying out the selection included 35 leading media figures that included Arab and international figures.

Others receiving awards included the editor of Haaretz Dov, AFP’s Adel Sanoun from Gaza, BBC’s Nada Abdel Samaad, Al Jazzera English’s  Ayman Mohyeddine and Jacky Rowaland. Three BBC journalists who survived a difficult detention by the Qadaffi regime in Libya were also honored.

Among the guests of the award ceremony was the Tunisian Ambassador to the UK and Princess Ghaida Talal from Jordan and the daughters of the Saudi philanthropist  Mohammad Ibn Issa Al Jaber, whose MBI foundation sponsored the gala event.