UNDP launches storytelling contest on climate

FOR a better public awareness on the negative impacts of climate change, as well as the opportunities and solutions from individuals and governments across vulnerable developing countries, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) yesterday launched a global storytelling contest, Voices2Paris.

In a statement yesterday, the UNDP Geneva Director, Neil Buhne, said: “We want to provide young journalists in developing countries a unique opportunity to contribute to the global debate on climate change in the run-up to COP21, while building their capacity and providing recognition for excellence.”

The agency targets journalists from developing countries aged 35 years and under, who are already engaged in public writing and want to contribute – locally and internationally – towards greater public awareness on climate change.

The best stories will be published everyday in the immediate run-up to COP21, carrying messages of struggle, opportunity and hope from the climate change frontlines worldwide.

Authors of the top two prize-winning stories will be invited to attend and cover the COP21 UN climate summit in Paris in December.

Stories could be submitted by young journalists from developing countries in English, Arabic, Chinese, French or Spanish, with an English translation, on a rolling basis until October 11. Guidelines to participate are available on UNDP Geneva website.

A team of senior journalists reporting on climate change from top-tier international media outlets, regional media associations, as well as representatives from major international organisations will review the entries and mentor the participants.

According to the President of the African Network of Environmental Journalists, Sidi El Moctar Cheiguer, “the contest is an excellent initiative to promote investigative and innovative coverage from the young generation of journalists. It is also an opportunity for African journalists to reconfigure state-society relations and contribute to the development of the continent.”

Stories, once screened and scored, will be published on the UNDP website and disseminated through partners’ channels to ensure maximum outreach and support the call for an ambitious agenda to be endorsed during the COP21.