Journalism Scholarships

» Flyer    » Announcement 2013  » Application form 2013

The media plays a crucial role in raising awareness about the need of a constructive interfaith dialogue. Bearing in mind the growing importance of in-depth quality journalism for a respectful cross-cultural discourse the foundation has launched a six-month scholarship program for young journalists from Israel, Palestine and Germany. Young German journalists get the chance to experience the Holy Land in all its diversity and gain first-hand impressions of the conflict-laden daily reality. Meanwhile, scholarship recipients from Israel and Palestine are given the opportunity to discover the German media landscape and interact with each other in a different political environment.

Every year four German journalists spend one semester at the Rothberg International School of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, taking Hebrew lessons and studying the history and culture of Israel as well as the political situation in the Middle East. Subsequently they complete a two-month internship, working as journalists for one of our official media partners in the region such as ARD, ZDF, dpa, N24 and Jerusalem Post.

Video about German fellows in Israel

At the same time six journalists from Israel and the Palestinian territories – two coming from the West Bank and other two from the Gaza Strip – are being sent to Germany to study the history, culture and the political system of the country. After a three-month language course at Bayreuth University they get the opportunity to improve their journalism skills and gain a lot of useful practical experience during a three-month internship at a German media enterprise such as Deutsche Welle, ZDF, Frankfurter Rundschau, DIE WELT, Juedische Allgemeine and Deutschland-Magazin. Moreover, they have the chance to experience their colleagues from a completely different angle, which makes them more attentive to the arguments of the other side and opens up a whole new perspective on the conflict in their homeland.

Video about Israeli and Palestinian fellows in Germany

Application Process

The scholarship recipients from Germany are being selected in cooperation with the four leading journalism schools in Germany: Axel-Springer Academy in Berlin, Henri-Nannen School in Hamburg, German Journalism School in Munich as well as Electronic Media School in Potsdam-Babelsberg.

On the other hand, the applicants from Israel and Palestine are being selected by our long-term partners for the program. We have the pleasure to work together with Koteret School of Journalism and Communications in Tel Aviv, Bethlehem University, I’LAM Media Center for Arab Palestinians in Nazareth, as well as the German Representative Office in Ramallah.

For applicants from Israel and Palestine the closing date for applications is 15th of January, while applicants from Germany must apply till 15th of March. Eligible to apply are only candidates who have been previously nominated by one of our official media partners.

Contact:

Christine Schüßler

Participants and alumni keep in touch in a  facebook group.