London, UNITED KINGDOM – Qatar Airways once again supported the UK-based Foreign Press Association’s prestigious annual awards function in which the airline sponsored the main award of the night – Journalist of the Year.
The lavish gathering of leading UK and international journalists took place at the Sheraton Park Lane Hotel in central London. Guest speaker Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, addressed the audience in his accustomed hilarious way before the awards were announced.
Qatar Airways, which sponsored the event for the third year running, hosted select media during the night, which attracted more than 400 guests, including Ambassadors, politicians and business leaders to celebrate excellence in television, print, broadcast and web-based journalism.
The awards night, now in its 11th year, was compered by British television and radio personality Sandi Toksvig.
Journalists in 13 categories were honoured at the function, where Mayor Boris Johnson, a former journalist, spoke about issues ranging from new UK immigration rules, local politics and his pride at being in charge of London.
Qatar Airways Vice-President Europe Paul Johannes presented the night’s main award – Journalist of the Year – to two deserving winners, Antony Thomas and Saeed Kamali Dehghan, for their moving television feature documentary For Neda, made for HBO by Mentorn Productions. The documentary investigates the truth about a young Iranian woman, Neda, shot by a sniper, who became the symbol of mass protest against elections in Iran.
Earlier in the evening, the two film makers won the award for TV Feature Documentary of the Year.
Johannes also congratulated the duo presenting them with a pair of round-trip Business Class tickets between the UK and Doha, Qatar Airways’ hub in the State of Qatar.
Qatar Airways, one of the world’s fastest growing airlines, currently operates a modern fleet of 93 aircraft from Doha to 95 key business and leisure cities across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, North and South America.
In the UK, the carrier operates six flights a day non-stop to and from Doha – four daily to London Heathrow; daily to London Gatwick; and daily to Manchester.
About Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways, the national carrier of the State of Qatar, is proud to be Going Places Together with travellers across its more than 150 business and leisure destinations.
A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways has been awarded World’s Best Airline, World's Best Business Class; Best Business Class Airline Lounge and Best Airline Staff Service in the Middle East by international air transport rating organisation Skytrax.
Qatar Airways was the first Gulf carrier to join global airline alliance, oneworld, enabling its passengers to benefit from more than 1,000 airports in more than 150 countries.
Oryx One, Qatar Airways’ in-flight entertainment system offers passengers up to 3,000 entertainment options from the latest blockbuster movies, TV box sets, music, games and much more. Passengers flying on Qatar Airways flights served by its B787, A350, A380, A319 and select A320 and A330 aircraft can also stay in touch with their friends and family around the world by using the award-winning airline’s on-board Wi-Fi and GSM service.
Qatar Airways proudly supports a range of exciting international and local initiatives dedicated to enriching the global community that it serves. Qatar Airways sponsors world-leading sports teams including FC Barcelona and Al-Ahli Saudi Arabia FC reflecting the values of sports as a means of bringing people together, something at the core of the airline’s own brand message – Going Places Together.
Qatar Airways Cargo, the world’s third largest international cargo carrier, serves more than 50 exclusive freighter destinations worldwide via its Doha hub and also delivers freight to more than 150 key business and leisure destinations globally