United Nations Reham al-Farra Memorial Journalism Fellowship 2024

The Reham Al-Farra Memorial Journalism Fellowship was mandated in December 1980 by UN General Assembly Resolution 35/201. Formerly known as the DPI Training Programme for Broadcasters and Journalists from Developing Countries, the programme was renamed in 2003 in honor of Reham Al-Farra, a 29-year-old Jordanian public information officer who was killed in the 19 August 2003 bombing of the UN headquarters in Baghdad.

The Fellowship is a unique opportunity for young (22 to 35), working journalists from developing countries and countries with economies in transition to cover the United Nations. Hosted every autumn at UN Headquarters, the programme brings a select group of journalists to New York to cover the opening of the General Assembly for their news outlets.

During the 3-week programme, Fellows have an opportunity to attend special briefings, interview senior officials and exchange ideas with colleagues from around the world. In previous years, RAF Fellows have met with the UN Secretary-General, Deputy Secretary-General, President of the General Assembly and Permanent Representatives to the United Nations. The programme also arranges visits to various news organizations, such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and ProPublica.

Since its founding in 1981, the fellowship has been awarded to 652 journalists from 168 countries. Upon completion of the programme, fellows are expected to continue working in journalism and promote better understanding of the United Nations in their home countries. The programme does not provide basic skills training, as all fellows are working journalists.

About United Nations

The English language component of the Indigenous Fellowship Programme (IFP) was established in 1997. It takes place at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva, Switzerland and lasts for 4 weeks, usually coinciding with the annual meeting of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP). The objective of this training programme is to enhance the knowledge of indigenous peoples on existing international human rights instruments and mechanisms, so they can use them to more effectively advocate for the rights of their communities ...... read more

Reham Al-Farra Memorial Fellowship

Aim and Benefits of Reham Al-Farra Memorial Fellowship

• It provides journalists with an opportunity to gain first hand experience in the work of the United Nations.
• It is also an opportunity to meet journalists from other countries and exchange ideas with UN communication professionals.
• Upon completion of the Programme, participants are expected to continue working in journalism or broadcasting and help promote better understanding of the United Nations in their home country.
• The Programme is not intended to provide basic skills training to broadcasters and journalists as all participants are already working as media professionals. The Programme also does not lead to employment by the UN.

Requirements for Reham Al-Farra Memorial Fellowship Qualification

The Reham al-Farra Memorial Journalism Fellowship is open to junior and mid-level media professionals from countries with developing economies or economies in transition.

To meet the eligibility requirements, candidates must:

• Be between 22 and 35 years old
• Be a fulltime working journalist
• Be proficient in English
• Possess a passport valid for at least 6 months beyond the start of the Programme (programme begins September 2019)
• Be a national of a developing country or country in transition, as defined by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs

Application Deadline

How to Apply

For more details, visit UN website.