Call for participation: Training for Young Journalists in Cambodia

Call for participation: Training for Young Journalists on Reporting on climate change and sustainable development issues in Southeast Asia, 20-23 March 2017, Siem Reap, Cambodia

CLIMATE CHANGE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

The impacts of climate change have become a topic of strong public interest in Southeast Asia. Studies show that the region is vulnerable to several climate change impacts that include a predicted mean temperature rise as well as a regional increase in annual precipitation by 2030. With more extreme weather events such as typhoons, the region is more vulnerable to floods and drought, affecting people’s livelihoods and reducing agricultural productivity. In the Mekong Delta, saltwater intrusion caused by sea level rise is predicted to take a toll on agriculture, aquaculture and capture fisheries. Sea level rise could also result in the displacement of millions of people throughout the Delta.
Raising public awareness and strengthening the technical expertise and institutional capacities are essential to enable the countries in Southeast Asia to respond adequately to the effects of climate change. Media and journalists as a vehicle for encouraging public participation play a key role in achieving these objectives, including its contribution towards the Paris Agreement’s global stocktake to assess the collective progress towards achieving its purpose of reduced carbon emissions.

THE TRAINING – Strengthening the capacity of the next generation of climate journalists

The training will bring together young journalists, photojournalists and citizen reporters from Southeast Asia, media and climate/environment experts as well as some representatives of development partners in a view to enhance media monitoring and reporting on the globally interconnected issue of climate change.
In particular, the workshop aims to:

• Equip the young journalists, photojournalists and citizen reporters with the specialized knowledge and skills necessary to monitor and communicate on climate change in their community, country and/or region,

• Strengthen the network of climate change trackers/reporters in Southeast Asia, and

• Raise public awareness of the adverse impacts of climate change and the attendant efforts at adaptation and mitigation.

CONTENTS OF THE TRAINING

The training will address the following topics, including a one-day field trip:

• Finding the story: local perspectives

• Climate science: anthropogenic and Green House Effect

• Climate change in Southeast Asia: impacts and adaptation strategies

• Telling the story: photojournalism and news writing

• Social media and advocacy

• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) process

• Join the networks – Climate Tracker, Mekong Matters Journalism Network

Participants of the training will have the opportunity to:

• Enhance and practice their journalism and photojournalism skills to track and report on climate change and sustainable development issues from different perspectives;

• Join the networks of climate change trackers/reporters in the world;

• Have their news stories on climate change/environment in Southeast Asia published in the media, partners’ websites or newsletters; and

• Engage in debates and raise awareness on the issues of sustainable development that will affect their generation;

• Share a unique intercultural and networking experience with young journalists, citizen reporters and experts from the region.

WHO CAN APPLY TO THE TRAINING?

The training is open to 18 participants with the following requirements:

• Young journalists, photojournalists and citizen reporters (the participants don’t need to be employed by a media organization, they can be freelance writers or so called citizen journalists who produce, share or distribute public interest content through social media)

• Aged 18-35 years old

• Based or from Southeast Asia

• Having already published articles on climate change or sustainable development issues

HOW TO APPLY?

Send your CV together with the articles you published and a letter of motivation indicating the following:

1.What is your motivation for participating in the training? How does it relate to your work or study?

2.What kind of stories are planning to publish after the workshop?

3.What are your basic knowledge on climate change and journalism skills? What is your level of photography/photojournalism experience?

4.Do you have your own camera or smartphone that you can bring?

Send your application to m.ito@unesco.org before 20 February 2017.
Selected participants will be notified during the week of 27 February 2017, and will be paid for their travel to and accommodation in Siem Reap for the duration of the training. Attention will be given to geographic and gender balance.

main source: http://www.unescobkk.org/en/news/article/call-for-participation-training-for-young-journalists-on-reporting-on-climate-change-and-sustainabl/