Presentation of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Awards at the UNCA Gala in New York

S.E. Mme Isabelle Picco et M. Sanket Jain, lauréat de la médaille d’or « Prince Albert II of Monaco-UNCA Global Prize » ©DR

On Friday, 12 December 2025, the traditional Gala of the United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA) was held in New York. UNCA is a professional organisation bringing together more than 200 correspondents and producers from news agencies and broadcasters across all regions of the world.

On this occasion, Isabelle Picco, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Monaco to the United Nations, presented the three Prince Albert II of Monaco Awards, honouring journalists distinguished for their reporting on climate change.

The Gold Medal was awarded to Sanket Jain (India) for his in-depth report on the impact of extreme heat, driven by global warming, on the human brain.

The Silver Medal was presented to Isabella Kaminski (United Kingdom), whose articles highlighted the significance of the hearings before the International Court of Justice concerning States’ obligations to combat climate change.

The Bronze Medal was awarded to Hadder Elhadary (Egypt) for her coverage of the Third United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, analysing both the commitments made and the challenges facing the ambitious “30x30” action plan, which aims to protect 30% of the oceans and land areas by 2030.

The presentation of these Awards reflects the Prince’s Government’s commitment to fostering a better understanding of the impacts of climate change on our societies and to promoting the dissemination of accurate and in-depth information on these issues.

In addition, during the evening, Massimo Bottura received the “Global Advocate of the Year” Award in recognition of his actions against food waste and his work as a Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations Environment Programme. This prestigious distinction had previously been awarded to H.S.H. Prince Albert II in 2015 for his commitment to environmental protection, particularly in the fields of biodiversity and climate change.

Lastly, Javier Bardem received the “Global Citizen of the Year” Award in recognition of his actions in support of environmental protection and his work as a Greenpeace Ambassador.