Dushanbe, June 25, 2008 – The World Bank Country Office in Tajikistan is pleased to announce the results of the competition held under the Civil Society Fund Program 2008 (previously the Small Grants Program) for the total amount of USD 35,000 for nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations of the Republic of Tajikistan. In 2008 the Program is focused on Civic Engagement for Environmental Protection. With that, activities under proposed projects are to promote dialogue and dissemination of information, and enhance partnerships with key players in support of environment protection and the development process.

The Program Team received 89 applications from urban and rural non-profit organizations working all over Tajikistan to address the development issues. Selection of the winning projects was performed in accordance with the World Bank policies and was concluded by the Grant Committee meeting with participation of invited donors and municipal official. The Committee approved 7 projects. Size of an individual grant varied from USD 3,400 to USD 7,000.

NGO’s from Dushanbe, Khorog, Khujand, districts of Jerghetal and Roshtqala are among the winners. Selected projects are aimed at various aspects of civil society engagement in solving ecological issues and environment protection, disaster risk mitigation, and integration of deaf children in the society. Detailed results of the Civil Society Fund Program can be found on the web site of the World Bank Country Office in Tajikistan at this link: http://go.worldbank.org/EEHWUI0OS0.

The Small Grants Program was created by the World Bank in 1983. This year it was renamed to become the Civil Society Fund Program. During the period of program implementation in Tajikistan from 2002 to 2008 the World Bank has supported 55 projects for the total amount of over USD 220’000.

The World Bank’s mission in Tajikistan is to promote economic growth, reduce poverty, and encourage a better quality of life. The country became a member of the World Bank on June 4, 1993. The financial assistance committed to the Government of Tajikistan so far amounts to over US$456 million, in the form of grants and concessional credits. The current portfolio of the World Bank in the country consists of 15 active projects in agriculture and rural development, energy, infrastructure, health and education, among others.

For more information about the World Bank in Tajikistan, please visit
http://www.worldbank.org/tj

http://www.worldbank.org/tj

The Khatlon province television is going to extend its broadcasting time up to 8 hiurs a day. Gaibullo Avazov, governor of Khatlon told Asia Plus news agency that the authorities have allocated funds for that. Relevant equipment is purchased and is being installed.

At present, the Khatlon television broadcasts only 1,5 hours a day. At a recent ceremony on the occasion of the Tajik Media Day, the governor Faibullo Avazov promised to help with new installations and expansion of local broadcasting.

The funds for renovations, refurbishment of premises and procurement of new equipment were allocated from the central government budget. The total amount of funds is 80 thousand Somoni.

Information Agency Payom

The Embassy of Iran to Tajikistan has launched its web site in the Internet. Saidkosim Kozi, head of the embassy’s public relations unit noted that the web site is designed for Iranian and Tajik entrepreneurs, scientists, politicians and representatives of culture.

Kozi also said that in the nearest future the web site will be replenished with comprehensive data regarding Tajikistan’s legislation in Persian language. There will be also an additional web portal in Tajik language (in Cyrillic).

“Many Iranian entrepreneurs wishing to get access to Tajikistan’s market are not familiar with the domestic legislation, and we hope that the web site will help them”, — said Kozi.

The address of the Iranian Embassy web site is: www. iranembassy-tj.com

http://www.asiaplus.tj/

The number of journalists who have fled their home countries because of direct threats and violence doubled in the last year, according to a survey conducted by the Committee to Protect Journalists.

At least 82 journalists, mostly from Iraq and Somalia, have fled their countries in the last 12 months, the survey reported. Most of the journalists were forced into exile after they’d been assaulted and threatened, and 19 were forced to leave their countries because of government violence, including repeated interrogations and detention.

The survey showed that 22 of the journalists who fled their countries were Iraqis, and 21 were Somalis. Other journalists were from Chad, Colombia, Eritrea, Sri Lanka, The Gambia, Cuba and other conflicted countries.

Many journalists face an equally hard life after they leave their countries, the report said. On their way to resettlement, they have to live as refugees and endure hard economic and social conditions. The survey reported that less than a third of journalists who went into exile since 2001 have found jobs related to journalism.

http://www.ijnet.org/Director.aspx?P=Article&ID=307834&LID=1

The International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) is seeking a part-time Persian Editor for the International Journalists’ Network (www.ijnet.org), an online news resource for journalists and media managers around the world.

The Persian Editor will be responsible for researching, writing and editing news items for IJNet on journalism training opportunities and resources, as well as feature articles and discussion topics on subjects of interest to Persian-speaking journalists. He/she will also market the site to Persian-speaking journalists and media assistance organizations, and contribute to the web site’s planned redesign.

The Persian Editor must have first-rate writing skills in both English and Persian; be an excellent Internet researcher; and have online media skills.

The ideal candidate should also have:

Journalism experience
Web development experience and some knowledge of HTML coding
Applicants should submit a resume including references and two writing samples in English and Persian before June 20th to Sharon Moshavi at smoshavi@icfj.org

IJNET

The Caucasus Institute will offer a new Master’s of Arts curriculum in journalism, photojournalism and political science, which requires students to enroll full-time for two years, or a one-year vocational course, starting October 1. The deadline to apply is August 1.

http://www.caucasusinstitute.org

The Tenth Global Congress of the Russian Press was held in Moscow on 11-13 June. The Congress organized by ITAR TASS and the Global Association of the Russian Press was attended by about one thousand participants from 65 countries. The tajik delegation was headed by editors of Vetcherny Dushanbe, Narodnaya Gazeta, Facts & Comments, and Arguments & Facts.

Gulnora Amirshoeva, editor of Vetcherny Dushanbe weekly said that participants of the forum discussed the contemporary conditions of the Russian foreign press, the role of Russian language in the development of global civilization, and the place of the Global Association of the Russian press in life of Russian-speaking diasporas in the light of globalization.

NANSMIT

Journalists, editors and other media professionals can enroll in a training program in Prague, Czech Republic from July 6 to 11 in which students will learn about online media, current media trends, blogging and creating news sites.

The organization Transitions Online will host the program and media leaders from The Economist, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and The Guardian will supervise the sessions.

Applicants from Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan may apply for scholarships.

For more information, visit http://www.ejc.net/events/new_media_essentials/

http://www.ejc.net/events/new_media_essentials/

The Programme in Comparative Media Law and Policy at the University of Oxford (PCMLP) is co-organizing an International Conference on regulation of freedom of expression on the Internet with a group of NGO’s based in Serbia. It will be held in Belgrade, Serbia on September 8 and 9.

Among the topics to be discussed are freedom of expression on the Internet, protection of personal rights on the Internet and regulation and/or self-regulation on the Internet

Funders of the conference include Shell International and the Council of Europe.

For more information, go to http://pcmlp.socleg.ox.ac.uk.

http://pcmlp.socleg.ox.ac.uk

Applications are invited in any language for the annual Commonwealth Broadcasting Association (CBA) Awards for television and radio programs. Awards will be given in seven categories, including an international award for human rights reporting, a journalist of the year award, and an award for science reporting. The deadline to apply: August 1.

Applications can be team or individual entries, and applicants must be CBA members or affiliates. All programs or projects should have been broadcast for the first time or completed between August 2007 and July 2008.

Program entries may be in any language, but they must be subtitled in English for television entries. Radio programs in languages other than English must be sent with a clear text in English.

Completed forms with DVD for television programs and CD for radio programs (4 of each per entry) should be sent to the CBA Secretariat.

http://www.ijnet.org/Director.aspx?P=Article&ID=307813&LID=1