The B’nai B’rith World Center in Jerusalem announced that French Ambassador for Human Rights, lawyer, and former member of the European Parliament, Francois Zimeray, will deliver the keynote address at the B’nai B’rith World Center Award for Journalism ceremony, which takes place in Jerusalem Wednesday, June 17 at 5:30 p.m.

Zimeray’s remarks will focus on “Reconciling Human Rights Standards of the 20th Century with the Age of War and Terrorism.”

The Award for Journalism in Recognizing Excellence in Diaspora Reporting, presented annually in memory of Wolf and Hilda Matsdorf, will be given to Jacky Hugi, Ma’ariv Hebrew daily Arab affairs correspondent, in consideration of his five articles on Jewish communities in Yemen, Bahrain, Iraq, and Lebanon published between June-December 2008.

The jury also will confer a Certificate of Merit on Jerusalem Post Diaspora correspondent Haviv Retig, and a Lifetime Achievement Award on Dov Judkowski, founder and past editor-in-chief of Yedioth Achronot (1986-1989), editor-in-chief of Ma’ariv (1991-1992), Sokolow Prize laureate (2000), Israel Prize laureate for journalism (2002), and one of Israel’s pre-eminent media figures.

The World Center will also present its fourth annual Survey of Contemporary Israeli Attitudes toward Diaspora Jewry at the event.

Since its establishment in 1992, the B’nai B’rith World Center Award for Journalism has recognized excellence in reportage on contemporary Diaspora Jewish communities and on the state of Israel-Diaspora relations today in the Israeli print and electronic media.

The B’nai B’rith World Center Award is widely acknowledged in the media industry as the most prestigious prize in Israel recognizing excellence in Diaspora reportage. The distinguished award jury includes: Dan Pattir political analyst and media advisor to prime ministers Yitzhak Rabin and Menachem Begin (chairman); professor Yehudith Auerbach, head of Communication and Journalism Studies Division, Bar-Ilan University; Shlomo Nakidimon, journalist and columnist; and Asher Weill, publisher and editor of “Ariel,” The Israel Review of Arts and Letters (1981-2003). Former Tel Aviv University President Itamar Rabinovich serves as president of the award enterprise. The award is made possible through donations from professor Daniel Schydlowsky, a member of the B’nai B’rith World Center International Board of Governors, and the Matsdorf family.