Upcoming Events and Programs for Young Journalists

“Impossible is Nothing: Reporting on Human Rights and International Conflicts” workshop for young journalists. Apply before Aug. 15!

How do you create balanced reports from conflict zones where things can change in a matter of minutes? How do you know who is telling you the truth? How can journalists get their facts right? What is the relationship between media coverage and human rights in such conflicts? If these are questions that interest you then we invite you to apply to become one of the 60 young journalists, aged between 18 and 30, reporting from inside the European Parliament in Brussels on Oct. 18-20. 

Participants will experience three days of creativity and innovation through political discussions, hands-on media workshops and invaluable insights into the European Parliament and the European media. They will interact with high-level European politicians, professional journalists and experts and engage in intercultural exchange through practical work and evening cultural activities. Over the course of the three-day workshop, each young journalist will produce a report on the topic of the seminar through their medium of choice - audio, video, print, online or photography. 

The workshop is organised by the European Parliament and the European Youth Press and is open to citizens and legal residents of the EU member states. 

 Travel will be reimbursed by the European Parliament. Accommodation and board will be covered through a lump sum also provided by the European Parliament. The European Youth Press aims to ensure the participation of young journalists from all 27 member states.

Please apply by sending a CV, a motivation letter and a few media clips (of any type) to a.berga@youthpress.org. We look forward to meet you in the European Parliament in Brussels!

Call for Applications to MEdiT’11. Apply before Aug. 7!

In October 2011, the European Youth Parliament Finland hosts MEdiT’11 - a convention gathering over 30 young committed individuals for five days to discuss, experience, and shape future ideas about using media in intercultural youth dialogue and the role of the media in non-formal learning. The aim of MEdiT’11 is to gather, revise, and disseminate knowledge and best practices in this field. Between 26th and 30th of October the participants will engage in an open space format to share and learn about topics they find important and inspiring. Each participant acts as a learner and as a trainer. In this way, the sharing of knowledge and best practices as well as the needs of the participants are brought to the fullest. Additionally, there will be inputs from external experts and excursions. The convention will be held in the Happi Youth Media Centre in Helsinki, which provides excellent facilities for working with all types of media (desktop publishing, internet, video, audio) and space for constant group facilitation and evaluation to support the learning process. 

The target group of MEdiT’11 are young people active in intercultural youth dialogue and exchange and have already experienced non-formal learning and have used media as a supportive tool. This event is especially designed for members of the European Youth Parliament and the European Youth Press. However, members from other organisations are welcome to participate.

WEBSITE: http://www.medit.eypacademy.org

EU Journalist Award – Together against discrimination!

The European Commission is pleased to announce that the 2011 edition of the EU Journalist Award – Together against discrimination! is now open. The EU Journalist Award is the only journalism competition for print and online journalists focused on discrimination and diversity issues in the EU.

Journalists taking part in the competition can win prizes worth up to 5000 EUR. All entries must have been published in registered media outlets from 18 September 2010 to 10 November 2011. To take part – enter your article online on the EU Journalist Award 2011 website. The 2011 competition will close at 12.00 (CET) on 10 November 2011.

WEBSITE: http://journalistaward.stop-discrimination.info/

East 4 South (E4S). Apply before Sept. 6!

“East for South - Development Awareness from the Roots” (E4S) enables the brightest young journalists from the EU’s 12 new member states (Malta, Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Bulgaria or Romania) to produce high-quality reports on EU development policy in general and the EU commitment to the UN Millennium Development Goals in particular. Each media report should boost awareness of these issues in its home market. In each round, 10 students from new EU member states work with 10 journalists from sub-Saharan Africa. Each African/European team investigates a story related to challenges and opportunities of humanitarian cooperation - on the ground in sub-Saharan Africa. Experienced media professionals from DW-AKADEMIE prepare the teams for this project. After the field trip, professionals supervise the post-production of high-quality reports for TV, radio, print and/or online. The project is designed as an extracurricular activity for which students will get a certificate, as well as the final reports they produced. In total 30 European students will take part in E4S. Deadline for application is at 12pm (GMT) on September 6 2011.

WEBSITE: http://east4south.org/

Illegal Economy, Mafias and Financial Globalisation. Apply now for the new edition of Otranto Legality Experience!

Otranto Legality Experience (OLE) is a unique opportunity to investigate issues related to the relationship between organised crime and globalisation, through workshops, seminars and discussions held by Italian and international speakers. Organised by FLARE Network, the event is held from 5th to 11th of September 2011. The goal is to develop and set a benchmark in Europe for the role of civil society in combating transnational organised crime.

Website: http://www.ole2011.org/

Grants fund investigative journalism. Apply before Aug. 15!

Investigative journalists can apply for a reporting grant. The grants, sponsored by the Fund for Investigative Journalism, are intended to support investigative projects around the world. The average award is US$5,000, which should cover out-of-pocket expenses such as travel costs. The Fund does not cover grantees’ salaries or equipment. The first half of the grant is given once an application is approved and the second half is paid when the project is complete. Recent grants include investigations on the BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, the chocolate trade, Moment Magazine, for an investigation on discrimination against Jews in the U.S. Army Corps, and the Daniel Pearl Project. All proposals must be submitted in English and include a detailed budget.

Website: http://fij.org/apply-grant

Rebellious Media Conference in London in October

A conference on media, activism and social change will take place on Oct. 8-9 in London. Noam Chomsky will give the keynote address at the Rebellious Media Conference. Other confirmed speakers include documentary maker John Pilger ("The War You Don’t See"), blogger Laurie Penny, radical publisher and activist Michael Albert (ZNet) and journalist Johann Hari (The Independent). Organizers are currently drafting the conference program, which will comprise roughly fifty small workshops and eight larger sessions. Ticket are on a sliding scale (UK£15 – UK£75, about US$25-US$125) depending on income.

Website: http://rebelliousmediaconference.org/

"My Country" photo contest. Apply before Aug. 15!

The "My Country" photo contest encourages photographers worldwide to submit one or multiple photographs of a country of their choosing. There are three categories: people, landscapes and objects. Amateur and professional photographers can participate. The contest is open to all ages but participants under 18 must have parental consent. Photokore’s website supports image uploads in English, Chinese, Japanese and Korean. Visitors to photokore.com can also search for images in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, Thai, Hindi, and English. Landing pages are also available in Arabic, Filipino, Hindi, Indonesian, Malaysian, Spanish, Thai, Russian and Vietnamese. First, second and third place winners will receive prizes and the first place winner will also be named Photokore’s next featured artist.

The deadline for entries is 15th of August 2011.

Website: http://www.imagingresource.com/NEWS/1309905786.html