The International Reporting Project (IRP) has announced a 10-day Gatekeeper Editors Trip to Liberia November 7-18, 2010, for senior U.S. editors and producers interested in learning more about this unique country in West Africa. Applications forms for this trip must be received by the IRP by September 13, 2010. Those chosen to attend the trip are responsible for their own transportation to Washington DC but all international trip expenses, including meals, are covered by the (non-profit) sponsors of IRP. Apply by September 13.
Gatekeepers are any senior journalists – publishers, executive editors, managing editors, broadcast producers, online editors, editorial page editors, business editors, op-ed page editors and others – who determine editorial content at any type of media organization. Gatekeepers must have at least seven years of editorial experience and must supervise staff at a fulltime job at their organization. Gatekeepers must be U.S. citizens or else employed as staff editors in the U.S. for a U.S.-based news organization.
This trip to Liberia will focus on issues such as health, environment, economic recovery and development, women’s rights, refugee resettlement and the search for political stability after 14 years of a devastating civil war that left an estimated 200,000 people dead in the country of three million. Gatekeepers will meet with a wide cross-section of Liberians to learn how this country and the region are recovering from the 1989-2003 conflict that has required the continuing presence of UN peacekeepers.
Deadline for application is September 13. For more information, go to this link.