Deadline: April 3, 2026
Applications are invited for the UN Reham Al-Farra (RAF) Memorial Journalism Fellowship 2026. 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, experts from the UN Secretariat, agencies, funds and programmes, as well as 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.
Eligibility
- The RAF fellowship is open to full-time working journalists between 22 and 35 years of age who are nationals of the following developing countries and countries with economies in transition:
- Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Israel, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Palestine, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Assessment Criteria
- Applicants are assessed based on a series of factors, including: your age, your professional experience, your coverage of the UN’s work, the strength of your portfolio, and your audience reach. Consideration is also given to geographic diversity and gender parity.
Application
You will need to submit the following along with the application form:
- At least five (5) work samples related to the UN and/or its priority issues published in the last 6 months. These can be submitted in your native language.
- Copy of your passport/national ID.
- Your CV in English.
- Two reference letters.
For more information, visit UN RAF Memorial Journalism Fellowship.
