2022 Shortlisted Nominee
Positive Role Model Award: Race, Religion & Faith
When the war started in his native country, Issa’s family home and surrounding village was destroyed. His world became darker; filled with bullets & explosions. He fled Syria in 2015 and arrived alone in the UK, but full of ambition and the drive to seize opportunities. A turbulent start saw Issa lost on the streets of London. He was eventually relocated to Cardiff and reignited his passion to work toward his life’s dream of becoming a broadcast journalist. Issa graduated from the International Journalism Course at Cardiff University in 2019 and after drawing from his own personal experiences, produced and directed the film ‘Host or Hostile’ for which he was awarded two Royal Television Society Student Awards. Now an on-screen journalist for ITV Wales, Issa’s ambition to improve diversity and inclusion is consistently reflected through giving a voice to hidden and under-represented communities.