Scholarly Instructor from Park University Recipient of Luxembourg Peace Award
Steve Youngblood Receives 2020 Luxembourg Peace Prize for Outstanding Peace Journalism
Steve Youngblood, the director of the Center for Global Peace Journalism at Park University, has been awarded the 2020 Luxembourg Peace Prize for Outstanding Peace Journalism. The award, given by the Schengen Peace Foundation and the World Peace Forum, recognizes journalists or media publications that have used their craft to contribute to peace.
Youngblood, an associate professor of communication arts at Park University, has been a pioneer in the field of peace journalism. He is known for his role in advancing peace journalism, a discipline that influences media reporting towards constructive conflict resolution and peacebuilding.
His contributions are centred on his expertise and his role as the founder of the Center for Global Peace Journalism. Youngblood has been instrumental in making peace visible in journalism practices, offering frameworks and training that help journalists approach conflicts with a peace-oriented lens, thereby shifting narratives from violence to understanding and reconciliation.
Youngblood's leadership in promoting peace journalism as a discipline has extended globally. He has taught peace journalism in 27 countries and territories worldwide, including conflict areas. His work has been recognised by various organisations, including the U.S. Department of State, Rotary International, and the United Nations Association of Greater Kansas City.
In addition to his academic work, Youngblood serves as editor of The Peace Journalist, a semi-annual Park University publication. He resides in Parkville, Mo. Youngblood was also a two-time J. William Fulbright Scholar, with travels to Moldova in 2001 and Azerbaijan in 2007.
Upon receiving the award, Youngblood expressed his gratitude, stating it validates the work done to spread the word about peace journalism. The award ceremony was initially scheduled for later this month in 2020 but has been rescheduled to May 28, 2021, due to the coronavirus pandemic. The ceremony will take place as part of the 5th annual Transatlantic Dialogue Conference at the University of Luxembourg in Esch-sur-Alzette.
[1] Source: Center for Global Peace Journalism
Steve Youngblood, through his work with the Center for Global Peace Journalism at Park University, has been advocating for education-and-self-development in the field of peace journalism, contributing significantly to his personal-growth as a peace journalist. His teaching of peace journalism in various countries, including conflict areas, demonstrates his commitment to personal-growth and the education-and-self-development of other journalists in this discipline.
