Congratulations to the winners of the Refugee Festival Scotland Media Awards 2025
The winners and runners up were announced at a celebration in Glasgow on 11 June. Their work showcases powerful storytelling and highlights the everyday realities of life for people seeking safety with sensitivity and compassion.
In an increasingly polarised world, accurate, responsible reporting on refugee and asylum issues is crucial. Last summer, racist riots swept across the UK, creating fear in refugee and migrant communities.
Good journalism can help counter toxic narratives and harmful misconceptions about forced migration. That’s why we team up with the National Union of Journalists each year to host the Media Awards.
Thanks so much to everyone who entered work, every person who shared their story and every journalist who helps amplify the voices of people from refugee backgrounds.
The winners are:
Independent News
Winner: Sadia Sikandar, Greater Govanhill: Facing Hatred with Hope
Runner up: Tabassum Niamat & Pinar Aksu, Greater Govanhill: ‘These are our Neighbours’: Three years on from Kenmure Street, what’s changed?
Features
Winner: Lindsay Bruce, Press and Journal: From refugee to royal recognition, the remarkable story of Aberdeen professor Mirela Delibegovic
Runner up: Kirsteen Paterson, Holyrood Magazine: Towers of Strength: How Ukrainian refugees found home in a Scottish town
News
Winner: Hamish Morrison, The National: English riots gave me ‘flashbacks’ to being hunted by trafficking gang
Runners up: Diane Taylor, the Guardian: Syrian refugee says Home Office ‘breaking my heart’
And: Jane Bradley, Scotland on Sunday: 5,500 Ukrainians issued ‘use it or lose it’ letter over right to take refuge in Scotland
Broadcast
Winner: Tara Fitzpatrick, STV: ‘Skills being wasted’: Calls to lift ban on work for asylum seekers
Runner up: Vidushi Tiwari, STV: Asylum seekers and refugees create art to explore mental health
Local media
Winner: Donald Erskine, Glasgow Times: Visa rules leave Glasgow’s Ukrainian refugees ‘unemployable’
Runner up: Susan Lochrie, Greenock Telegraph: Afghan war hero now safe in Inverclyde helps refugees
This year, entries were judged by Alison Phipps, Chair of UNESCO-RIELA at the University of Glasgow, Larry Bottinick, from the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Nick McGowan-Lowe from the National Union of Journalists, Elahe Ziai from IMIX, and Johannes Gonai from Pachedu.
The Media Awards are part of Refugee Festival Scotland, a celebration of art, culture and community running from 13-22 June. Over ten days, more than 150 events will take place across Scotland. Take a look at the programme to see what’s on in your area.
