The Globe and Mail‘s recent decision to quietly close its Moscow bureau is a reminder of the important role many Canadian journalists play in bringing news from the rest of the world home.

There is a long tradition of Canadians reporting the world’s biggest stories from abroad. In Field Notes, Peter Bregg tells stories about his time in Iran covering the 1979 hostage crisis. And 20 years after the fall of the Berlin wall, journalists from Canada and the world reflect on being there to document history. Last year, longtime CBC foreign correspondent Joe Schlesinger was awarded the Canadian Journalism Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his extensive coverage of international issues and events.

Canadian diplomat Robert Fowler explained his concerns about reporting on kidnappings to Toronto Star reporter Olivia Ward.

Newsroom budgets are shrinking and staff positions are being cut, but the importance of international reporting hasn’t diminished. Journalists must be able to cover world news — and cover it safely.