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Vaclav Havel Journalism Fellows Selected


RFE/RL is proud to welcome three new Vaclav Havel Journalism Fellows to Prague this fall.

The competitive selection process provided the review panel a slate of 27 strong candidates to consider, from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, the Russian Federation, and Uzbekistan. The panel awarded fellowships to candidates from Azerbaijan, Moldova, and Armenia:

Tahmina Tagiyeva of Azerbaijan has extensive professional experience as a working journalist and a clear commitment to the development of local journalism. Tahmina has come under pressure from Azeri authorities due to some of her reporting. Her goals include starting a journalism school in her hometown of Ganja and to teach investigative journalism.

Irina Gotisan of Moldova most recently worked for TV Moldova 1, a public, nationwide national channel. Irina’s video reports were extremely impressive, engaged, direct, and edgy. She has a strong desire to create and develop the genre of “documentary” reporting in Moldova.

Seda Stepanyan of Armenia is a young, promising journalist with local multi-media experience who works for for several Armenian outlets. Seda is passionate about journalism as well as playwriting. Seda’s play, “Waiting for Death,” was awarded ninth place in the BBC World Service’s 2011 International Playwriting Competition.

Launched in February 2012, the Vaclav Havel Journalism Fellowship recognizes the transformational role of journalism in challenging tyranny. Made possible with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, it provides training and development opportunities at RFE/RL’s Prague headquarters to journalists from countries where media freedom is stifled and independent journalists are at risk.

Please visit the Havel Fellowship webpage for more informaiton about the program.
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