Shykh Seraj wins Gusi Peace Prize

Pioneering development journalist Shyk Seraj has won the Gusi Peace Prize 2015 for his "exceptional" media activism over the past three decades in reducing poverty in Bangladesh.

The director and head of news of Impress Telefilm Ltd/Channel i will receive the award in Manila, Philippines from the Gusi Peace Prize Foundation on November 25, said a press release. Shykh Seraj started his media career in the 1970s. He was the most interactive and eloquent presenter of Mati O Manush of Bangladesh Television, which he continued from 1982 to 1996, and he carries it on through Hridoye Mati O Manush (since 2004) on Channel i.

His innovative media approaches helped the country come out of poverty and move further ahead, said the release.

The approaches aimed to empower the rural community, give the farmers voice, boost women leadership, contribute to the development of rural infrastructure, advocate for farmers' fundamental rights, engage youths in farming, organise farmers' dialogues where they could raise their voice for their demands in the presence of ministers.

His focus now is to find new ways to tackle poverty, especially empower women socially and economically, and also spread the imperative message of food safety and soil health with an in-depth watch on climate change simultaneously.

Barry S Gusi, chair of the Gusi Peace Prize Foundation, described Seraj as a "journalist who gave millions of farmers their voice," and as "a simple, hardworking man with a future vision".

Dr Gunther Bonn from Austria, former president of Belarus Stanislav Shushkevich, and former prime minister of Portugal Antonio Eanes were among the winners of this year's prize in different categories like scientific research, medicine, international diplomacy, statesmanship.