The Reham Al-Farra Memorial Journalism Fellowship was mandated in December 1980 by United Nations (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 UN 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 working journalists (between the ages of 22-35) from developing countries and countries with economies in transition to cover the UN. Hosted every autumn by the UN, the programme enables this select group of journalists to learn first-hand about the UN's work and to cover the General Assembly for their news outlets.
During the programme, fellows have an opportunity to listen to special briefings, interview senior UN 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 from their country. Fellows also meet with news organizations in New York and have various training sessions with media experts.
Since its founding in 1981, the fellowship has been awarded to more than 670 journalists from 168 countries. Upon completing the programme, fellows are expected to continue working in journalism and to promote a better understanding of the UN in their home countries. The programme does not provide basic skills training, as all fellows are professionals with at least two years of experience as journalists. Visit our and pages!