Two of South Africa’s promising young journalists, Eva Lutendo Chipa and Mishka Ismail-Wazar, were awarded a place at this year’s Future News Worldwide international media conference which took place in Edinburgh, Scotland from 4 to 6 July 2018.
Eva and Mishka were successfully selected from approximately 2,500 highly competitive worldwide applicants and were joined by fellow aspiring reporters from 50 countries for an intensive three-day learning programme. Developed by the British Council, working in partnership with some of the world's leading media organizations, the conference identifies, trains and connects the next generation of international journalists by giving them rare access to insights from leading global media professionals.
The conference welcomed an array of media specialists which included; BBC News Presenter and former China Editor, Carrie Gracie; Reuters Global News Editor, Alessandra Galloni; and veteran Kenyan Editor and Open-data Champion Catherine Gicheru.
Taking place at the Scottish Parliament, Future News Worldwide made an international contribution to Scotland’s Year of Young People through active engagement which paved the way for the next generation of top journalists.
With the media itself increasingly being the subject of news headlines, the event presented a timely opportunity to focus on the universal values of objectivity, balance and evidence that underpin the profession. Topics under the lens included storytelling and the challenges facing journalism in the digital age.
Mark Wood, former Editor-in-Chief of Reuters and Chair of the Future News Advisory Board said,: "Future News Worldwide 2018 is a unique event which gives young journalists from 50 countries the opportunity to meet and learn from some of the most outstanding media figures of our time. As well as focusing on high-quality, reliable journalism, the delegates took part in workshops which equip them to deal with all forms of digital communication. At a time when the demand for trustworthy news has never been greater, this conference will help plant the roots of dependable, quality journalism in countries around the world."
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