ISLAMABAD: The right of access to information and freedom of expression was a precondition for a nuanced, inclusive and transparent public debate and for the exercise of basic human rights, said the Ambassador of Denmark, Ole Thonke here on Tuesday. He was speaking at a journalism excellence award ceremony organised by the International Media Support (IMS) in collaboration with Individualland Pakistan (IL). In democratic societies, media played a vital role, as it provided excess to information and canalised opinion as well as acting as the watchdog, he further said. “Why do we support the media in Pakistan, we do it as promotion of freedom, democracy and respect to human rights are key priorities for foreign policy not only in Pakistan but throughout the world,” he said, adding that “we firmly believe that freedom of expression is important for every democratic society”. Ambassador H.E Ole Thonke congratulated the winners and said that Denmark’s support to freedom of expression and a free and diverse media was intended to contribute to the development of a platform for democratic debate, to reduce poverty, and to promote peace and security in Pakistan. “By putting regional or district level information on the national agenda, we support a crucial process needed to support the overall national development in Pakistan”, said Ambassador Thonke. The Ambassador awarded the eleven (11) winners from both the print and the electronic media from different parts of the four regions for their outstanding journalism and reporting skills and for highlighting regional issues pertinent to national development. Ms. Rubina Rasheed of CPNE, who attended the Journalism Excellence Award ceremony, said that promoting regional media and news stories for the greater development of media and development was a great initiative as it also augmented the reporting skills of journalists in Pakistan. “Journalists need to be continuously engaged through such interventions to ensure their capacity is being built and that information becomes more accessible”, said Ms. Rasheed. The ceremony was held under IL’s Small Grants Programme with the aim to recognise the best news stories from various regions showcasing critical analysis and information on important issues from their local areas. To apply for the media grant, journalists were asked to submit proposals on issues of interest, which were reviewed by a grants committee consisting of senior journalists and media experts. IL’s Executive Director, Ms. Gulmina Bilal, congratulated the winners of the Excellence Award by reiterating that “despite the lack of facilities in many of the far flung areas, the journalists showed great enthusiasm and worked very hard on developing important stories for the national mainstream audience”. The winners of the Excellence Award lauded the efforts of Individualland Pakistan and demanded that such events should also be held in the future.