Mesa Refuge offers writing residency [US]

Journalists, essayists, economists, naturalists, screenwriters and other writers can apply for a writing residency program.

The Mesa Refuge, located in Point Reyes Station, California, provides time, space and solitude for writers to delve into their work. Topics related to nature, the human economy and social equity receive priority.

The next sessions available are Sept. 21 to Oct. 4; Oct. 5 to 18; Oct. 19 to Nov. 1; and Nov. 2 to 15.

Room and most dinners are provided at no cost, but participants must pay for their own travel.

The deadline is June 1. There is a US$40 application fee.

For more information on how to apply, click here.

World Press Freedom Day: IPC to launch Nigerian Journalists Internet Rights Initiative (NJIRI); calls for prompt Presidential assent of the Digital Rights and Freedom Bill

To mark the 2018 World Press Freedom Day (WPFD), the International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos-Nigeria has announced the launch of the “The Nigerian Journalists Internet Rights Initiative (NJIRI)”, which is scheduled to take place on May 2^nd 2018.

Director of IPC, Mr. Lanre Arogundade said in a statement that “The Nigerian Journalists Internet Rights Initiative (NJIRI)” aims to advance the right to freedom of expression for online journalists in Nigeria and that It is premised on ensuring that internet spaces and online platforms are safe and free of institutional limitations for journalists and other media practitioners to use as mediums of information and engagement.

He further stated that as part of the project, a research report titled “Issues in frameworks, freedom of expression and Internet rights in Nigeria: A baseline research by the Nigerian Journalists Internet Rights Initiative (NJIRI)” will be presented and disseminated to stakeholder groups in the freedom of expression community as a key feature of the official launch of the NJIRI.

Mr. Arogundade explained that IPC recognizes the need to use the WPFD to raise awareness of the importance of freedom of the press and remind governments of their duty to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression enshrined under Article 19 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and marking the anniversary of the Windhoek Declaration, a statement of free press principles put together by African newspaper journalists in Windhoek in 1991. In line with this, IPC therefore calls for the prompt Assent of the Digital Rights and Freedom Bill.

A Tweet Conference session will be held as part of the Launch, focusing on the Digital Rights and Freedom Bill. The Bill was passed by the House of Representatives on December 19, 2017, and was similarly passed by the Senate, on March 13. The piece of legislation that is proposed for “an act to provide for the Protection of Human Rights Online, To Protect Internet Users in Nigeria From Infringement of their Fundamental Freedoms and to Guarantee Application of Human Rights for users of Digital platform and/or digital Media and for Related Matters. IPC will use this session to address new challenges to Journalists Press Freedom Online in Nigeria, increasing awareness on the Bill and to engage Stakeholders to advocate for prompt Presidential assent of the Bill. Presentations will be delivered by representatives of Paradigm Initiative, Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), and the (Online) Nation Newspaper.

NJIRI is being supported by International Freedom of Exchange (IFEX), an international freedom of expression organization headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

Olutoyin Ayoade

Communications Officer

International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos

+2348114503887

tayoade@ipcng.org

NaijaGems Photo Contest approaches deadline [Nigeria]

Amateur and professional photographers ages 21 and older can submit their pictures to this contest.

The NaijaGems Photo Contest, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and the United States Diplomatic Mission in Nigeria, seeks positive stories of Nigeria in pictures.

Entries must be uploaded to Flickr with a short description of the location and why the object or scene is important to that community, state or the nation.

The first, second and third place winners will receive a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, a Canon EOS 80D with Len and a Canon EOS Rebel T7i with Len, respectively. 

The deadline is May 4.

For more information on how to apply, click here.

FNF Award seeks applications for courageous journalists [MENA]

Journalists and organizations across the Arab world can be nominated for an award in Germany.

The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF), a German foundation for liberal politics, seeks applications for this year’s Raif Badawi Award for courageous journalists.

The purpose of the award is to honor journalists and media organizations from predominantly Muslim countries and to call attention to the human rights violations in this field.

Nominations can be in English or German and must include links to relevant articles or publications in the original language.

The deadline is June 1.

For more information on how to submit a nomination, click here.

CLEW hosts media study tour on Germany's coal [Worldwide]

Journalists interested in energy, environmental or climate policy can apply to attend this free program.

Clean Energy Wire (CLEW) is hosting a media study tour June 17 to 20 in Germany. This tour's theme is "Germany’s historic coal year 2018: Is the world’s largest lignite producer finally facing the dark side of the Energiewende?"

Journalists will visit the country`s industrial heartland of North Rhine-Westphalia and learn about the last two remaining hard coal mines that will shut down this year and post-coal business projects.

The organizer will provide food, accommodations and local transportation. Participants can apply for 60 percent reimbursement for land-based travel or 40 percent reimbursement for air travel. Full travel reimbursement is also available.

The program will be held in German and English.

The deadline is May 5.

For more information on how to apply, click here.