European Press Prize Shortlist
The Distinguished Writing Award 2017
Nominee
“A reportage that turns upside down the ultimate paradise: the Maldives.” Roberto Saviano
“A well-written, revelatory journey beyond the tourist facade of Maldives – a clear hit for Italy.” The preparatory committee of EPP on Destination Paradise: Among the jihadists of the Maldives
A breathtaking reportage to understand islamic terrorism in a place where the First and the Third World are divided but close. And the contrast is enlightening.
Western tourists barely realise it is a Muslim country. Yet, the Republic of Maldives is a non-Arab country with the world’s highest number of foreign fighters per capita. Everybody has a brother, a cousin, a friend in Syria. This is a reportage on what we do not know about the countries jihadists come from.
“While the rest of the world watched the Olympics in August, everyone here was watching the battle of Aleppo. And rooting for al-Qaeda.”
Francesca Borri
Francesca Borri was born in Bari. Writer and journalist, she worked as human rights adviser in the Middle East, especially in Israel and Palestine. She turned to journalism in 2012 to cover the battle for Aleppo, and since then, her dispatches have been translated into 21 languages. Five years and 500,000 dead later, she still lives in Syria and Iraq, and in between one ceasefire and the next, she writes about Palestinians for Yedioth Ahronoth, Israel’s main newspaper. She is the author of La guerra dentro (2014), under translation into several languages, and Ma quale paradiso? Tra i jihadisti delle Maldive (2017). In 2017 she has won the Letizia Leviti Prize for journalism, in 2019 she has won the Testimone di Verità prize.
Press
Ma quale Paradiso?, a selected press review
Links
Francesca Borri on Twitter
Francesca Borri on Facebook
“A reportage that turns upside down the ultimate paradise: the Maldives.” Roberto Saviano
“A well-written, revelatory journey beyond the tourist facade of Maldives – a clear hit for Italy.” The preparatory committee of EPP on Destination Paradise: Among the jihadists of the Maldives
Foreign rights sold in
Brasil: Editora Âyiné
US: Seven Stories Press
Foreign publishers of Francesca Borri’s books:
Brasil: Editora Âyiné
US: Seven Stories Press