Note to Correspondents

Young Journalists Begin 2011 Reham al-Farra Memorial Fellowship Programme

 

Today at United Nations Headquarters

 

For the thirty-first consecutive year, the United Nations Reham al-Farra (RAF) Memorial Journalists Fellowship Programme starts today at United Nations Headquarters.

Organized by the Department of Public Information, the six-week programme brings together 14 young journalists representing media organizations in the Bahamas, Barbados, Cameroon, Croatia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Kiribati, Oman, Palau, Swaziland, Tajikistan and the United Arab Emirates.  Since the programme’s inception more than 30 years ago, more than 485 journalists from 163 countries have participated in the Fellowship.

The Programme was established in 1980, when the General Assembly requested the Secretary-General to develop fellowships for journalists and broadcasters from developing countries and countries with economies in transition, in order to acquaint them with the work of the United Nations.  Formerly known as the Department of Public Information Training Programme for Broadcasters and Journalists from Developing Countries, it was renamed in honour of Reham al-Farra, a young journalist and Department staff member killed in the 2003 attack on United Nations headquarters in Baghdad.

The schedule of activities will include briefings by senior officials of the Secretariat, United Nations specialized agencies, programmes and funds on major issues included in the proceedings of the sixty-sixth session of the General Assembly.  The participants will also have an opportunity to observe the United Nations “in action” by attending meetings of the General Assembly and engaging in hands-on activities with United Nations media professionals in their respective field of expertise.

In addition, the participants will visit several major media organizations and relevant non-governmental organizations in New York City to observe their operations.  They will also participate in a two-day academic workshop at Fordham University, and visit the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund in Washington, D.C.

The journalists will spend a weekend as guests of American host families in Rochester, New York, at the invitation of the United Nations Association of the United States of America.

List of Participants in the 2011 Programme

First Name	Last Name	Country	Employer	Media Experience
Kendeno	Knowles	Bahamas	Jones Communication Network	TV
Latoya	Burnham	Barbados	Barbados Today, Inc.	Internet
Linda	Bonglack	Cameroon	Cameroon Radio Television (CRTV)	Radio
Ivana	Ivanda	Croatia	Nova TV	TV
Mukanda Pascaline	Zamuda	Democratic Republic of Congo	South Kivu Women's Media Association	Radio
Nanama	Keita	Gambia	The Standard Newspaper	Print
Maia	Edilashvili	Georgia	Investor.ge	Print
Nana	Agyeman	Ghana	Graphic Communication Group	Print
Teemwari	Teimwarane	Kiribati	Kiribati Television  (TKL)	TV
Fahad	Al Makrashi	Oman	Times of Oman	Print
Blaire	Phillips	Palau	Oceania Television Network	TV
Nathi	Gule	Swaziland	Times of Swaziland	Print
Daler	Ibrohimov	Republic of Tajikistan	State Enterprise of Jahonnamo TV	Radio
Mariam	Alserkal	United Arab Emirates	Gulf News	Print

For further information, please contact Zvi Muskal at e-mail:  muskal@un.org or tel.:  +1 917 367 5142; or visit www.un.org/en/media/fellowship.

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For information media • not an official record