Bank of America Returns As National Presenting Sponsor of the Courage in Journalism Awards

Washington, D.C. – The International Women’s Media Foundation is pleased to announce that Bank of America will act as National Presenting Sponsor of the Courage in Journalism Awards for 2012.

This is the seventh year that Bank of America has worked with the IWMF to recognize outstanding bravery in the field of journalism and commitment to freedom of expression, providing crucial reinforcement for the IWMF’s work.

“Bank of America’s partnership has been truly invaluable; their dedication to the IWMF’s mission has made our work possible,” said IWMF Board Co-Chair Katty Kay.

This year’s Courage Award winners are Reeyot Alemu of Ethiopia, currently imprisoned on charges of terrorism after writing critiques of her country’s government; Asmaa al-Ghoul of Palestine, a blogger and freelance writer who has received death threats for her commentary on the culture and politics of Gaza; Khadija Ismayilova of Azerbaijan who was blackmailed and threatened after her investigation into charges of malfeasance against members of the Azerbaijani president’s family and Zubeida Mustafa of Pakistan, who will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award.

In its role as National Presenting Sponsor, Bank of America fortifies its support of a free press and recognizes the importance of women journalists around the world who face extraordinary challenges to report the news.

“Strong leaders are critical to economies and social fabric of regions and communities around the world,” said Anne Finucane, Global Strategy and Marketing Officer, Bank of America. “For years, the IWMF has recognized the important work of female journalists as they struggle to bring important news to light for us all. We are immensely proud to be associated with this organization and this group of remarkable women.”

Founded in 1990, the IWMF’s mission is to strengthen the role of women in the news media worldwide. The IWMF network includes women and men in the media in more than 130 countries worldwide. For more information, visit www.iwmf.org.