LONDON - 15 November 2007 - 200 words
Writing
about refugees: competition for aspiring journalists
The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Europe is launching a competition
for student journalists, giving them a remarkable opportunity
to highlight the challenges facing refugees and asylum seekers
trying to access asylum in Europe. The competition is open
to students, or recent graduates, from any
institute of higher education in one of the forty-three member
states of the Council of Europe. Articles should not exceed
1200 words on the theme:
'Access to Asylum'.
"Access to asylum in Europe is becoming more and more difficult;
steps taken by governments are restricting access to state borders,
yet the number of people requiring our help is growing as asylum
seekers are forced to tak more dangerous routes to reach safety.
We want to help dispel the myths and misconceptions about refugees",
said Father Jan Stuyt, Director JRS Europe.
The authors of the three best articles will be invited to Brussels
to attend a prize giving ceremony in the European Parliament and
meet members of the jury who are all experienced journalists in
this area. The overall winner will be invited to a refugee
camp in Malawi as the guest of JRS Southern Africa, where he or
she will meet refugees, representatives of NGOs and ocal media.
Further information and application forms are available on the
JRS Europe website, www.jrseurope.org.
Links to other organisations working with refugees and asylum
seekers can also be found on the website. The deadline for
entries is 22 February 2008.
The competition is supported by the European Council for Refugees
and Exiles (ECRE), the International Federation of Journalists
(IFJ) and MediaWise.
For more information please contact Elizabeth Underhill, Media
Officer, JRS Europe at press.europe@gmail.com or tel: 00 32 2
250 32 20. Jesuit Refugee Service Europe.
The Jesuit Refugee Service is an international Catholic organisation.
Its mission is to accompany, serve and advocate for refugees and
forced migrants. The Jesuit Refugee Service Europe is a
network of over 20 offices working in Europe with and for refugees
and displaced people. JRS does not discriminate on the basis
of religion.
Father Pedro Arrupe JRS Europe is using the 100 anniversary of
the birth of Father Pedro Arrupe, founder of JRS, to launch this
competition for student journalists. Pedro Arrupe was born
on 14 November 1907 in Bilbao, Spain. In 1980, as General
Superior of the Jesuit Order, he established JRS after witnessing
the mass exodus of boat people from Vietnam. JRS continues
to help millions of refugees, displaced people and asylum seekers
in more than 50 countries around the world today. Fr Arrupe
died in 1991.
"Pedro Arrupe dedicated his life to serving others.
He felt it was his duty to help relieve the suffering and distress
experienced by refugees around
the world," said Father Jan Stuyt, Director JRS Europe.
© Independent Catholic
News 2007
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