The Dag Hammarskjöld Scholarship Fund for Journalists

Timothy Wirth & Fund Chair Evelyn LeopoldThe Dag Hammarskjöld Scholarship Fund for Journalists presented its Inspiration Award to Timothy E. Wirth, president of the U.N. Foundation and the Better World Fund, at its annual luncheon on Oct. 23, the 47th year the Fund brought journalists from developing nations to cover the UN General Assembly. Guest of Honor was Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

Secretary-General with 2008 FellowsThe Fund is managed on a voluntary basis by correspondents accredited to the United Nations, who raise funds from U.N. missions, foundations, corporations and individuals. Initiated in 1962, the Fund was established as a memorial to Dag Hammarskjöld, the second U.N. secretary-general, killed in a plane crash in September 1961 en route to negotiate a cease-fire in the Congo.

Mr. Wirth holds an idealist vision -- without illusion -- that complements the work of United Nations and Dag Hammarskjöld himself. He is known for his fearless and creative advocacy for peace, human rights, women's opportunities and the environment, as well as shepherding the U.N. Foundation since Ted Turner created it a decade ago. Mr. Wirth’s impassioned views about global warming date back to at least 1987 when, as a U.S. senator from Colorado, he was one of the first lawmakers to be concerned about climate change.

"The Dag Hammarskjold Scholarship Fund … what a wonderful thing to bring these young journalists here ... to bring new ideas. You're getting something out of this, but I am absolutely convinced the U.N. gets a great deal out of your being here," Mr. Wirth told the 200 luncheon guests.

"Listen to the four young journalists who spoke to us this afternoon … on climate change, maternal mortality, women's empowerment, malaria and the Millennium Development Goals. These are in many ways the new issues of the United Nations," Mr. Wirth saidThe four journalism fellows who spent three months in New York are: Patricia Caycho of Peru, Erick Kabendera of Tanzania, Ebtihal Mubarak of Saudi Arabia and Grevazio Zulu of Zambia. [link].

"I want the international community to pay attention to the problems of Latin America. Being here during the General Assembly is an incredible opportunity that the Dag Hammarskjold Fund has given us but I realize that diplomacy must be more effective.... In Latin America, and in particular Peru, the poverty is terrible. We are talking about globalized trade but we must also globalize compassion." --Patricia Caycho, Magazine Caretas, Lima

"I'm not happy nor proud at all about Saudi women's conditions. Women come to me, open up their hearts and speak out about horrible abuses they have to put up with on a daily basis thinking I can help by exposing their stories to the public...someone will help them out. Sometimes I succeed ... many times I don't ... choosing to be a journalist in a country where freedom of expression is not a priority I thought when people know the truth things will definitely change, but unfortunately that was not always the case." --Ebtihal Mubarrak, Arab News, Jeddah

"Words, spoken or written, cannot express the depth of gratitude I feel for being honored with the opporutiny to spend 10 weeks covering the United Nations, an institution that for years has struggled to bring peace to the peaceless and hope to the hopeless ... Our stay has been a great success. I will go home a better journalist, equipped with the knowlege I have gathered here. I will take my new skills and knowledge back home to share with my collegues, but I fear it is not enough to change the quality of journalism in my country." --Erick Kabendera, Dar es Salaam

"I can tell you, you can see the pain, the misery on the faces of children who did not know whether their parents had died or were still missing—the pain of people whose limbs have been amputated because of fighting or landmines (in Congo, Darfur or Somalia)." --Grevazio Zulu, National Broadcasting Corporation, Lusaka

Pictures from the luncheon are here.

Streaming video from the event can be found here (Requires Real Player).

Photos from the Fellows' US visit are here.

All photos ©Javier Zapata