APFEJ Announces 2009 Asia-Pacific Awards for Excellence in Environmental Journal

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APFEJ ANNOUNCES 2009 ASIA-PACIFIC ENVIRONMENTAL JOURNALISM AWARDS

 

The Asia-Pacific Forum of Environmental Journalists(APFEJ) is currently

accepting entries for the

2009 Asia-Pacific Awards for Excellence in Environmental Journalism.An APFEJ

initiative, the awards

" recognize the efforts of journalists working on environmental issues and to

encourage environmental

journalism across the region. " Interested journalists are asked to submit

stories that were published

in local media between 1 January and 31 December 2008. Submissions can cover or

address

" any aspect of the environment " in the region or the applicant's country. This

work can include

scientific research and findings, protected areas, climate change, ecotourism,

conservation,

sustainable development, eco-friendly alternative products and fuels,

environmental education,

environmental political issues, threats to the environment, mining, logging, oil

extraction and

other forms of exploitation of natural resources and social issues related to

the environment.

The contest was first introduced in 1990 to promote high quality coverage of

environmental issues

and acknowledge the work of communication professionals in that field.

 

APFEJ,the oldest and largest organization of professional environmental

journalists,

contacts over 12,000 members around the world.From 12 members at its

establishment in 1988, APFEJ has grown to encompass 154 members - of which 42

are from

within the Asia and Pacific region and 112 outside. The mission of APFEJ to

build into a strong,

independent and committed to promote excellence in environmental journalism

worldwide by

supporting environmental journalists specially Asia pacific through

Professionalism, Freedom of

expression, Social responsibility, environmental justice, Networking and

training.

 

Entries (including photocopies) must be submitted in the surface mail by August

31,2009 and

sent to Dharman Wickremaratne, Director,Asia-Pacific Forum of Environmental

Journalists(APFEJ),

P.O.Box 26, 434/3 Sri Jayawardenapura, Sri Lanka. E-mail:

ejournalists.

Applicants must also include their full name, address, phone /fax/ email contact

numbers,

dates of publication, and names of newspapers/magazines. Print, electronic and

on-line all journalists

and photographers, full time or freelance, can take part in the contest.They

should be residents

of the Asia-Pacific region and work in or with the local or national media.There

are no entry fees

of any kind for submissions. More details on the awards can be viewed on

http://www.environmentaljournalists.org web site.

 

Six sub-regional winners will also be announced, recognizing quality

environmental coverage

in Central Asia, East Asia, South East Asia, South Asia, West Asia and the

Pacific.

Regional winners will receive certificates, three-year membership to APFEJ and a

fully-paid trip to 18th World Congress of Environmental Journalists held in

Colombo- Sri Lanka

from 19- 22,October 2009.They will have an opportunity to meet with colleagues

from

around the world to share experiences and examine important issues related to

environmental reporting.

The congress is an opportunity for the selected journalists to further discuss

on the above-mentioned

subjects and develop better stories in future.

 

The awards, along with certificates will be presented to the winners on October

19,2009

in a special ceremony. The APFEJ will host the congress, which it has called

" 2009 most important event yet for environmental journalism in Asia -pacific " .

The congress,which will involve more than 100 participants from nearly 50

countries,

will focus on " Educate to end Climate poverty " reports APFEJ.

 

The previous awards have been sponsored by the UNEP,ADB and German FNS,

in order to encourage and recognize outstanding achievements in environmental

journalism.

Some of the previous winners include, Mukul Sharma ­ India, Alex Pal

­Philippines,

Abu Taher Khokon ­ Bangladesh, Joe Kanekane ­ Papua New Guina, Zamira Loebis

-Indonesia

and Tan Cheng Li of Malaysia.To find out more about the 18th World Congress of

Environmental

Journalists or APFEJ different activities it has been involved into for more

than twenty years,

please visit http://www.environmentaljournalists.org