Design contest for memorial dedicated to journalists killed on duty

The memorial sculpture will be displayed at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, Staffordshire

A competition has been launched to design the country's first memorial dedicated to British and UK-based journalists who have died while reporting from conflict zones.

Since 2000, at least 17 UK journalists have been killed in the course of their reporting, according to the International Federation of Journalists.

The campaign, titled On The Record, will see a competition run in partnership with the Royal Society of Sculptors, with submissions open until 9 January.

Once created, the memorial sculpture is expected to be displayed at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, Staffordshire, from spring 2027.

The bid is being led by a team of trustees, including Andrew Baud, founder of PR consultancy TALA, Emmy award-winning journalist Jon Williams and former editor of BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Sarah Sands.

They say the memorial aims to honour the courage and sacrifice of UK journalists and media workers who have lost their lives in the pursuit of the truth.

Chair of trustees Ms Sands said: "Journalists bear witness to the worst of humanity so that the world cannot turn a blind eye to it.

"The memorial will be a place to reflect on their courageous dedication to the truth and to remind future generations of the preciousness and the cost of free speech."

A complementary sculpture will also be installed at St Bride's Church, on Fleet Street, in London - also known as The Journalist's Church.

The memorial will be accompanied by a digital tribute, featuring an online database of the UK journalists who died in the line of duty.

This digital platform will also include archive footage and educational resources, which the organisers hope will help to preserve the fallen journalists' stories and make them more accessible.

'Never forgetten'

Karola Zakrzewska is supporting the initiative after her brother, Pierre Zakrzewski, died while reporting for the UK-based division of Fox News in Ukraine in 2022.

She said: "Pierre believed deeply in the power of journalism to shine a light in dark places.

"He risked everything to tell the stories that mattered. This memorial means his sacrifice, and that of so many others, will not be forgotten."

The organisers said shortlisted artists would be invited to present small-scale models and costings of their designs in March.