Ceremonies took place last Thursday in Abidjan and Paris to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the assassination of journalist Ghislaine Dupont and technician Claude Verlon, both working for Radio France Internationale (RFI). This tragic event, which occurred in Mali in 2013, shocked the entire world and highlighted the dangers faced by journalists in conflict zones.
To pay tribute to their memory and to defend press freedom, debates were organized on the situation of the press in the Sahel, a region of Africa affected by jihadist violence. A documentary entitled “Sahel, the information desert” was also screened during these ceremonies.
In addition to these commemorations, a scholarship was created in honor of Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon. Two winners were chosen this year: Joseph Kahongo from the Democratic Republic of Congo in the journalists category, and Ange Joël Agbla from Benin in the technicians category. They received this scholarship for their passion and expertise in the field of radio, and they will have the opportunity to do an internship at RFI headquarters in Paris.
This scholarship, created in 2014, aims to train young radio professionals in Africa and to perpetuate the legacy of Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon. It also demonstrates the commitment of RFI and the association “Les amis de Ghislaine Dupont et Claude Verlon” to promote freedom of expression, the right to information and the safety of journalists.
Finally, on the occasion of this tenth anniversary, the 18 winners of previous scholarships created the “Dupont-Verlon Network for Investigative Journalism”, an association which aims to defend the fundamental principles of journalism and guarantee the security of working journalists. This initiative is supported by Ghislaine Dupont’s mother, Marie-Solange Poinsot, who is committed to being the godmother of this association.
In conclusion, this commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the assassination of Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon was an opportunity to pay tribute to these courageous journalists and to reaffirm the importance of press freedom in regions of the world where it is often threatened. The creation of the scholarship and the association in their honor demonstrate the desire to continue their fight to defend the essential values of journalism.