Scotiabank and CJFE Announce Winner of 2013/14 Journalism Fellowship at Massey College

TORONTO, June 13, 2013 /CNW/ - Scotiabank, Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) and Massey College at the University of Toronto, are pleased to announce that José Peralta of Uruguay has been awarded the 2013/14 Scotiabank/CJFE Journalism Fellowship at Massey College. Peralta is the fourth Latin American journalist to be awarded the fellowship for a mid-career journalist. Previous winners have come from El Salvador, Mexico and Venezuela.

Since 2009, the Scotiabank/CJFE Journalism Fellowship has offered its participants a rich intercultural experience beyond the program's eight-month academic curriculum. Past Fellows have had the opportunity to participate in trips within Canada and abroad.  Last year's awardee, Mary Triny Mena, visited Newfoundland, Germany, and Finland during her Fellowship.  In addition to enjoying a vibrant campus community provided by Massey College, previous fellows have toured, spoken at, and written for Canadian media outlets such as The Globe and Mail and the Toronto Star; participated in panel discussions through the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs; partnered with local NGOs and think tanks; joined campus sports teams and committees; and have organised seminars held at Massey College.

"Our relationship with the CJFE/Scotiabank Fellowship is one of our most important partnerships. It reinforces our mandate to reach out beyond the academy and be a bridge community with the wider world," said Massey College Master John Fraser, a member of the jury that chose Peralta, along with Scotiabank Director of Media Communications Ann DeRabbie, CJFE Manager Julie Payne, and Ryerson professor and journalist Paul Knox.

"We are delighted to welcome José Peralta," said Annie Game, Executive Director of CJFE. "This fellowship helps ensure journalists are exposed to new perspectives and experiences, and helps build new contacts and viewpoints to use as they continue their careers."

José Peralta is from Montevideo, Uruguay. During Uruguay's economic crisis in 2002, he moved to Spain to continue his studies. In 2006, he was hired by Búsqueda, a widely read Uruguayan weekly magazine described as having a 'liberal' editorial policy. Peralta finished his undergraduate degree in 2010 at the University of the Republic in Montevideo. Since starting at Búsqueda, he has been awarded the opportunity to attend a series of programs such as 'The Reach of Organized Crime and the Exercise of Journalism on Violent Contexts" at the University of Mexico (UNAM), along with a course in investigative journalism sponsored by the US State Department. Peralta's work is concentrated in the areas of energy development, education and public enterprise.

Peralta will arrive in Canada in September to join an outstanding group of Canadian and international journalists as part of the 2013/14 Journalism Fellows, including 2013 JHR/Gordon Fisher Fellow Amara Bangura from Sierra Leone.

"I am thrilled and excited to be offered this incredible honour," said José Peralta. "This experience will enrich my perspective and ability as a journalist to serve as society's 'watch dog.' I am certain it will be an excellent opportunity to explore the roots of the values held by Canadians, learn from them and share them when I return home."

Interview available on request - please find CJFE media contact below.

Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) monitors, defends and reports on free expression and access to information in Canada and abroad. Rooted in the field of journalism, we promote a free media as essential to a fair and open society. CJFE boldly champions the free expression rights of all people, and encourages and supports individuals and groups in the protection of their own and others' free expression rights.
www.cjfe.org

Massey College is the only independent residential college solely for graduate students in the University of Toronto. Its architect-designed facilities provide a community for distinguished senior scholars, for elected graduates who are called Junior Fellows and some eminent members of the non-academic world.  Since its inception in 1963, the College has also hosted the Journalism Fellowship Program whereby several mid-career journalists are annually offered Fellowships allowing them to take a leave of absence from their work to audit courses of any subject at University of Toronto and to generally broaden their horizons.
www.masseycollege.ca

Scotiabank is a leading multinational financial services provider and Canada's most international bank. With more than 82,000 employees, Scotiabank and its affiliates serve some 19 million customers in more than 55 countries around the world. Scotiabank offers a broad range of products and services including personal, commercial, corporate and investment banking. In December 2012, Scotiabank became the first Canadian bank to be named Global Bank of the Year and Bank of the Year in the Americas by The Banker magazine, a Financial Times publication. With assets of $736 billion (as at January 31, 2013), Scotiabank trades on the Toronto (BNS) and New York Exchanges (BNS). For more information please visit www.scotiabank.com.

SOURCE: Canadian Journalists for Free Expression

Amy Johnson, CJFE Program Coordinator 416 515-9622 x.231 [email protected]

Anna Luengo, Administrator, Massey College [phone], [email protected]

Paula Cufre, International Media Communications, 416-866-4833, [email protected]