Ugandan Journalism students who applied to attend the Future News Worldwide 2020, a programme that brings together outstanding Journalism students across the world are supposed to wait for next year following cancellation of the programme this year amid the novel Coronavirus pandemic.
The programme which brings together world’s best talented , motivated and passionate student journalists to attend an intensive media training program was slated for July, 2020 in London, United Kingdom (UK).
The British Council has notified the applicants of the changes made concerning the programme.
“Thank you for applying to take part in Future News Worldwide 2020. We write to inform you that, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the conference will not now take place in London as planned this July. We understand that you have invested a great deal of time and effort in your application, and we want to assure you have a fair chance to attend an alternative Future News Worldwide event . For this reason we will be deferring all 2020 applications,” reads a statement.
According to a statement this means that anyone who applied to take part this year will be automatically considered for Future News Worldwide 2021.
“You will not need to reapply, and we will make an exception to our age-based eligibility criteria for any successful applicant who would have been eligible in 2020, but is not by 2021. Taking the decision to cancel our event in July was both difficult and extremely disappointing for everyone involved in the Future News Worldwide programme. However, during this uncertain time, and given the unprecedented nature of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the health of our students, customers and partners must be our chief priority,” further reads the statement.
Future News Worldwide is a partnership programme between the British Council and some of the world’s leading media organisations. The aim is to support young people to develop a wide range of journalism skills and to establish the UK as a global leader in the nurturing of young journalists and media figures.
Participants receive exclusive coaching from world-leading editors, broadcasters, writers and reporters, and see how publishers around the world are using technology to find stories and bring them to life like never before.
