FAIR announces Southern Africa regional Investigative Journalism conference

FAIR will hold a regional Investigative Journalism conference on 29 and 30 August 2011 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The theme of the conference is "Following the Money", which includes a keynote presentation about "Data mining government expenditure".
Registration is open to all investigative journalists from southern Africa. Translation services for Portuguese-speaking participants will be available, and we encourage journalists from Mozambique and Angola to attend.
Limited bursaries for travel and accommodation are available to FAIR members. Bursaries will also be considered for journalists in southern Africa who have written investigative stories recently and would like to present case studies about them.
Objectives of the conference:
- Showcase the best investigative journalism output from the region.
- Enable interactions with regional and international investigative journalism award winners.
- Discuss challenges in the investigative journalism profession.
- Explore the role FAIR in addressing challenges and overcoming obstacles by African IJ’s.
- Open up registration for regional delegates to the upcoming African Investigative Journalism Conference (AIJC) scheduled for 31 October to 4 November 2011, in Johannesburg.
- Hold an 'investigative boot camp' where the latest in computer and other research training, skills and techniques will be offered by internationally renowned trainers.
Registration rules:
1. FAIR members will be requested to pay a limited fee of 10 USD, and should indicate their interest in attending by email to admin@fairreporters.org.
2. Investigative journalists who are not FAIR members will be requested to pay 60 USD, which includes the conference fee and a FAIR membership for one year, and may request the application form by email from admin@fairreporters.org.
3. Participants who are not professional investigative journalists, but who wish to attend sessions as ‘observers’ will be requested to pay a reduced fee of 25 USD, and may register by sending an email to admin@fairreporters.org for registration as an observer.
4. Investigative journalism students will be requested to pay a limited fee of 15 USD, and submit a letter of support from the University. IJ students may also offer to provide administration and logistics services to the conference organizers in lieu of paying registration fees.
5. Limited travel and accommodation bursaries are available to FAIR professional members, on a first-come-first-serve basis only.
6. Participants who require visas should send an email to admin@fairreporters.org, in order for us to prepare letters of invitation and confirmation.
More details about the programme, speakers and logistics will be communicated on the FAIR website, www.fairreporters.org.
Closing date for applications: 15 August 2011.
Please direct all queries by email to: admin@fairreporters.org
We look forward to hosting you!
Abdullah Vawda
Executive Director
FAIR - Forum for African Investigative Reporters
www.fairreporters.org
Tel: +2711 482 8493
Fax: +2711 482 7208
Email: operations@fairreporters.org
Skype: abdullah.za
Address: 1 Park Road, Mentone Centre, 4th Floor, Richmond, Auckland Park, 2092 (South Africa)
[The Forum for African Investigative Reporters (FAIR) is a professional association of investigative journalists in Africa. Its mission is to enhance, deepen and build investigative journalism as a profession throughout the continent]