Deadline: 6 June 2016
The ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic together with RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty (RFE/RL) is currently accepting applications for the 2016 – 2017 Vaclav Havel Journalism Fellowship.
The Fellowship aims to support aspiring journalists from countries lacking media freedom and independence to pursue their profession in support of pluralism. It is inspired by former Czech President Vaclav Havel’s belief in the transformational role of journalism in challenging tyranny.
The program will help position the selected Fellows as standard-bearers of their profession and leaders in their communities, on-line, on air, and in the world.
Programme Structure
- Fellowships are for a term of eight months. Fellows will spend six months at RFE/RL’s headquarters in Prague, where they will be placed with an appropriate language service to receive daily, on-the-job training and mentoring while working alongside RFE/RL’s seasoned professionals. For one month before the term in Prague, Fellows will be assigned to a local RFE/RL bureau to gain an understanding of RFE/RL’s local role and editorial practices and meet local staff. Fellows will return to the bureau for the final month of the program.
- A monthly stipend at the bureau and in Prague, housing, insurance, and travel arrangements to and from Prague shall be provided.
- The main components of the program are:
- Professional mentoring alongside RFE/RL’s seasoned professionals.
- Training and development of journalistic skills relating to news gathering, and reporting and digital and multi-media production.
- Participation in the daily editorial debates and discussions that inform a professional and independent press.
- Independent work on a personal project.
- Understanding of the mission and practice of a free and independent media.
- The Fellowship also features workshops with experts on digital media; roundtables with journalists, civic activists, and policymakers; visits to local media and news agencies in Prague; and professional development opportunities in the Czech Republic and elsewhere.
- Fellows will be expected to represent themselves and the Fellowship, in English, in public events and discussions relating to media conditions in their country.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible applicants will
- be from an Eastern Partnership country or the Russian Federation;
- have a minimum of two years experience working as a journalist in their native language;
- have a demonstrated commitment to journalism as a profession; and
- be proficient in English.
How to Apply
Applicants must submit:
- Personal statement
- 3 Work samples
- 2 letters of recommendation
- Curriculum Vitae, including current contact information
- Letter to Vaclav Havel
All application materials must be submitted in English via email.
Eligible Countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, and the Russian Federation.
For more information, please visit Vaclav Havel Journalism Fellowship.