Voices in Exile Support Programme for Media and Journalists in Exile

CFI, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), SINGA and Maison des journalistes (MDJ) are launching Voices in exile (“Voix en Exil”), a new project to support and accompany journalists and media in exile in Paris, supported by the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, in order to make France one of the main destinations for journalists in exile.

The voices in exile project, with an initial duration of 3 years, will be launched in April 2024 and aims to:

• Ensure the safety of journalists in exile in France;
• Offer multidimensional support to journalists in exile in France wishing to continue their professional activity: socio-cultural support, psycho-social support, legal and administrative support, editorial, managerial and digital capacity building, networking, etc.;
• Support these journalists in their professional careers and facilitate the realization of their projects, including the creation of new media;
• Contribute to sharing and creating links with existing initiatives to support journalists and media in exile in Europe.

4 cohorts of 18 beneficiaries will be welcomed and supported as part of this project until March 2027.

This call for applications is dedicated to the first cohort of this project that will benefit from support between June 2024 and March 2025 (6-month support program followed by a 3-month post-program).

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants will be required to meet all of the following eligibility criteria:

• You work as a journalist, you are from a country outside the European Union and are in exile because of your journalistic activities, and you wish to settle temporarily or in the longer term in France or in another country of the Schengen area;
• You already have a refugee status, or a residence permit, issued by the French State or you already have a residence permit and a travel permit issued by another country in the Schengen area;
• You have an information and/or a journalism project and are looking to develop it, whether it is in the process of being developed or at the initial stage of reflection. The accepted formats include in particular: written, audiovisual, photographic, press cartoons;
• You want to take the time for several months to move forward on your project and/or to acquire new skills;
• You undertake to respect the principles of ethics and editorial independence specific to journalism according to the Munich Charter of 1971;
• You have a sufficient command of English and/or French (level B2 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) as an oral working language (and you undertake to take French courses if necessary).

Duration and Location of the program

The first cohort of the voices in exile project will receive support and guidance between June 2024 and March 2025. The support program lasts 6 months (June 2024 to December 2024). The post-program lasts an additional 3 months (January 2025 to March 2025).

The workspaces, the support programs and most of the activities will take place in Paris, within the Gaité Lyrique.

Accommodation for the journalists concerned will be located in “Ile-de-France”.

How to apply

The application deadline for this fellowship is April 28, 2024. To learn more and apply, please click here.