Journalist Fran Sevilla Awarded Francisco Cerecedo Prize for Four Decades of International Reporting

Journalist Fran Sevilla was awarded the XLII Francisco Cerecedo Journalism Prize on Tuesday, granted by the Association of European Journalists. The ceremony took place in Madrid, attended by His Majesty King Felipe VI, who presented the award. The event was also attended by BBVA President Carlos Torres Vila, according to the entity.

With more than four decades of experience in conflict zones and humanitarian crises, Sevilla has emphasized the role of journalism in today's world: "We live in turbulent times where everything we thought was settled is shaking, wobbling, even crumbling. This also happens with journalism. And it happens when journalism is, without a doubt, more necessary than ever."

In this regard, he advocated for journalism "at the service of the people," which does not become "propaganda or a pretext for particular interests." In his view, it is necessary "a journalism that questions why things happen, that tries to understand and convey the keys to interpret it; not a journalism that acts as a spokesperson for falsehoods and lies for the benefit of a few."

"The raw material of a journalist who travels the world, my raw material, is always delicate: it is human beings, their fortunes and misfortunes, their feelings and sufferings, and above all, in so many conflicts and catastrophes, their condition as victims." "I cannot and do not want to understand my work as a journalist without a commitment to the true victims," he emphasized.

In his speech, he denounced the situation in Gaza and other ongoing armed conflicts. He also dedicated a few words to colleagues who have died in the line of duty: "This award, this profession, is for all of them." Fran Sevilla is one of the most recognized voices in international journalism at Radio Nacional de España, a medium he joined in 1988.

Throughout his career, he has reported from the ground on some of the most significant conflicts of recent decades, including the first Gulf War, the wars in the Balkans, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Iraq, or Colombia. Between 1996 and 2000, he was a correspondent in the Middle East, and in the following years, he served as a special envoy in multiple crisis scenarios. From 2007 to 2014, he directed the Radio Exterior de España Broadcasting Center in Costa Rica.

In 2010, he was recognized with the Salvador de Madariaga Prize, awarded by the Association of European Journalists, in recognition of his rigor in covering European affairs and his defense of informational quality. Recently, he has covered the war in Ukraine on the ground following the Russian invasion, reinforcing his profile as one of the leading figures in international reporting. His career has been marked by a deep commitment to human rights and the pursuit of truth, principles that have been recognized both in Spain and internationally.