CAJ and AKFC announce new call for applications for $25,000 international reporting fellowship

OTTAWA, July 29, 2015 /CNW/ - Don't let the developing world's most compelling stories go untold. Make your pitch to report them to Canadians.

Aga Khan Foundation Canada and the Canadian Association of Journalists are pleased to announce the second cycle of the Fellowship for International Development Reporting.

The fellowship offers recipients $25,000 to undertake a substantial overseas reporting project that helps Canadians develop a greater understanding of the complex issues facing the developing world.

Applicants are encouraged to submit proposals that push the boundaries of typical foreign reporting to uncover new, fresh perspectives on global issues. Applications are welcome from Canadian citizens and permanent residents with at least five years of experience as working journalists. The deadline for entries is 11:59 p.m. ET on September 30, 2015.

"The developing world is evolving at a rapid pace, and journalists play an important role in making sense of the complex dynamics at work," said Khalil Z. Shariff, AKFC's chief executive officer. "This fellowship supports journalists who want to tell stories that illuminate the process of global development for Canadians."

Two fellowships were awarded earlier this year. The recipients were Marc Ellison, who will report on child marriage in Tanzania, in print and online for the Toronto Star; and Mellissa Fung, who will report for The Walrus on the everyday realities of rebuilding post-NATO Afghanistan.

The CAJ leads the fellowship selection committee. Fellows' work is completely editorially independent and remains the property of the fellows and any associated media outlet.

"The CAJ has a proud history of encouraging great journalism and rewarding it," said CAJ president Nick Taylor-Vaisey. "This fellowship gives Canadian journalists a chance to dig into complex stories and share that work back home."

Administration and funding for the program is provided by AKFC with additional funding from the Government of Canada through the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development.

Comprehensive information on the program and how to apply is available on both the AKFC and CAJ websites.

AKFC is a nonprofit international development agency, working in Asia and Africa to find sustainable solutions to the complex problems causing global poverty. Established in 1980, AKFC is a registered Canadian charity and an agency of the worldwide Aga Khan Development Network.

The CAJ is Canada's largest national professional organization for journalists from all media, representing more than 600 members across the country. The CAJ's primary roles are to provide high-quality professional development for its members and public-interest advocacy.

SOURCE Canadian Association of Journalists

Rosemary Quipp, Public affairs officer, AKFC, 1-800-267-2532 ext. 107, [email protected]; Nick Taylor-Vaisey, CAJ president, 647-968-2393, [email protected]