Ten years after the tragic double assassination of RFI journalists Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon in Kidal, Mali, the commemoration of their memory still remains alive. RFI, wishing to perpetuate their professionalism and their passion for reporting, is launching the tenth edition of the Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon Scholarship. This scholarship offers the opportunity to ten young journalists and ten young African technicians to follow training in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
The tenth edition of the Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon Scholarship is open to applications from the 25 French-speaking countries of Africa. It is aimed at journalists and reporting technicians under the age of 35, who already have at least two years’ experience in the field of radio. Candidates must reside in one of the following countries: Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Comoros, Congo, Ivory Coast, Djibouti, Gabon, Guinea, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Mauritius, Mauritania, Niger, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, Seychelles, Chad, Togo, Tunisia and Rwanda.
This scholarship, established in tribute to Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon, rewards each year a young African journalist and a young technician. The selected candidates will participate in training in Abidjan which will take place from October 16 to 29, 2023. This training will be led by professionals from RFI, the Ivorian press, the Sciences Po School of Journalism and the INA. At the end of the training, the candidates will produce a report for the journalists and a sound element for the technicians. A jury composed of representatives from RFI, the Ivorian press, the Sciences Po School of Journalism and the INA will select the winners in each category.
The presentation of the Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon Scholarship will take place on November 2, the international day to end impunity for crimes committed against journalists, in memory of Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon. A special ceremony will be held in Abidjan to honor the winners, who will then benefit from one month of training in Paris.
Applications for the Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon Scholarship are open from August 7 to August 25, midnight, Paris time. Applicants must complete a participation form, including their curriculum vitae and a cover letter. They must also provide a report or sound element for journalists, or editing/mixing or on-air production for technicians. All documents must be sent by email to bourserfi2023@rfi.fr.
The Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon Scholarship is a unique opportunity for emerging talents from French-speaking Africa to pursue their passion for journalism and radio. RFI thus continues to perpetuate the memory of Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon, while encouraging excellence in the field of reporting.