EL UNIVERSAL, Takes Second Place in the Solutions Journalism Awards

The well-established Mexican newspaper EL UNIVERSAL achieved great success in the 2024-25 awards organized by the Solutions Journalism Network. The newspaper won second place in the Article category with its investigation titled "From Scarcity to Abundance: The Sea as a Source of Welfare." This successful news story was deemed worthy of the award after a meticulous review of approximately 900 submissions from six different continents. The award is the product of an approach that aims not only for journalists to surface the world's problems but also to put the creative solutions found for these problems on the table. Thus, EL UNIVERSAL has succeeded in drawing attention in the international arena as a publisher whose quality and social benefit have been proven.

The main subject of the award-winning news story is the exemplary story of a small town called Cabo Pulmo, located in the state of Baja California Sur, Mexico. Until the mid-1990s, the reef ecosystem in the region faced massive destruction due to excessive and uncontrolled fishing activities. However, the local people abandoning traditional hunting methods such as nets through their own determination became the most important step in reviving marine life. Today, thanks to this crucial decision, the Cabo Pulmo Ecosystem has practically turned green again underwater and transformed into an environmental miracle.

This transformation radically changed the daily lives and economic dynamics of the townspeople. Having completely abandoned fishing, the local people currently focus on diving tourism and sustainable ecotourism activities. Formerly a community that exploited the sea, they now display a community profile that adds value to it by protecting it. Hosting exactly 40 thousand visitors each year, the region adds tremendous vitality to the local economy and inspires the whole world with its nature conservation model. The said news report deeply analyzes the success story of Cabo Pulmo as a "conservation model" that supports social and economic welfare.

The content of the comprehensive news published by the newspaper is not limited to the town of Cabo Pulmo; it also extensively covers the concept of "Marine Welfare Areas" implemented throughout the Gulf of California. By offering practical and theoretical clues on how and in what way these special areas can be expanded, it points to the proliferation of successful models. In addition, 10 different stories of resistance and struggle of communities living on different coasts of the gulf are included in the news. These communities, facing major threats such as the devastating effects of climate change and the rapid depletion of marine resources, display a commendable example of solidarity with their organizational and collaborative skills.

Behind this highly successful and meticulous investigation is a large team of expert and experienced journalists. In the project prepared under the leadership of General Editor Iván Carrillo; the editorial staff, reporters, photojournalists, and infographic designers exhibited a flawless collaboration. The Solutions Journalism Network Awards are known for positioning the news not only as a tool that tells the world's problems but also as a window that shows people's creativity and resilience. For example, this year's first-place winner in the awards was a story by Kamala Thiagarajan from India, about training visually impaired women as tactile examiners for breast cancer screening. All these awards show that journalism that focuses on solutions rather than just painting a pessimistic picture is gaining increasing value on a global scale.