To be a foreign correspondent is to be a witness. To be a clear voice in a world that is often marred by violence and misinformation. Our work and responsibility should not be taken lightly.

But I stand before you tonight not to speak about my achievements, but rather to tell you about the humans I’ve met along the way. And about the brave journalists who are risking their lives to tell the realities around them.

So let me begin by acknowledging the fearless and tenacious Palestinian journalists in Gaza who do not have the luxuries we are afforded to simply leave when the story becomes too dangerous. May we not forget their sacrifice and contributions to our industry.

Let me also reiterate the position that international journalists must be given independent access to Gaza to report.

This work does not feel like a job to me, but rather a mission and a purpose to go to the places that others won’t go and tell the stories that otherwise wouldn’t be told.

To places like Israel, speaking with the hostages who were released from Hamas captivity after surviving a brutal terrorist attack or to Syria hearing from the mothers we met at the infamous Sednaya prison who continue to look for their children or to Ukraine interviewing President Zelenskyy on the eastern front lines, our work will continue to focus on the experience of humans amid conflict.

We must continue to speak loudly and fairly, even when it is unpopular to do so. We must hold governments and militaries accountable for their actions. And we must continue to be a voice for the voiceless.

Fox News chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst upon receiving the Prize of Excellence at the annual Foreign Press Awards