"I was a dreamer and young reporter when they tried to silence me and I had to become the story to understand that a story in a newspaper maybe wasn't going to change the world, but it had the power to transform somebody's reality. Fighting against the impunity of my case made the word dignity my hallmark and journalism my vindication...Freedom of the press is one of the most precious rights, but above all it brings with it one of the greatest duties: not to be silenced."

“It is an uphill battle. Our enemies seek to divide us. Our leaders ignore the jailings, shootings, and intimidation. Only by all of us working together can we protect our journalists, and by extension, our freedom. Jamal Khashoggi understood this. He knew he was in danger but he would not be silent. His homeland meant too much to him. He cannot be here with us. But I’m proud today to honour the late Jamal Khashoggi, a courageous man, Saudi Arabian, and journalist.”

“Journalists need courage because there is a cloud of fear hanging over them - fear is everywhere, and it is so powerful. I come from the biggest prison for journalists in the world: currently, 150 of my colleagues are behind bars in Turkey, and imprisoning one member of the press intimidates hundreds of others.”

“You don’t really know who you are until you’re forced to fight to defend it. Then every battle you win – or lose ... every compromise you choose to make … or to walk away from … all these struggles define the values you live by and, ultimately, who you are. We at Rappler decided that when we look back at this moment a decade from now, we will have done everything we could: we did not duck, we did not hide...To the men and women of Rappler, this is your courage. You inspire me, but this award goes beyond Rappler... It’s for all Filipino journalists … for the men and women in government … ALL the Filipinos who continue to fight for our values."