Fojo (The Institute for Further Education of Journalists) of Sweden, in cooperation with SDMRI (Suganthi Devadason Marine research Institute) of India invites journalists from India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh to apply for an environmental journalism course focusing on coastal management in the region and its relation to the global environmental situation.

Last year, Fojo initiated a three year long project focusing environmental journalism and coastal management, in the Indian Ocean by arranging a course in Zanzibar, Tanzania. The second phase will be held in Tuticorin, India in Oct 26th - Nov 6th this year. Journalists from India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are welcome to apply before August 21st 2009.

The course is organised in two steps. The first course will be held in Tuticorin from 26 Oct to 06 November 2009 and the second from 19 - 24 April 2010. For the second part participants will be selected after fulfilling of a journalistic assignment.

All participants will be assigned a story or investigative project during the first course, depending on the fulfilment participants will be selected to take part of the second step. The results will be presented at the follow-up course.

The course will provide some of the basic tools in covering environment issues with special emphasis on the coastal and marine environment. Methods of reporting and planning of the work will also be discussed and practiced in the course. Furthermore, the course will also focus on how to get access to and analyze scientific information and how to make it interesting to common people. Impacts of human activities on the coastal and marine environment will be presented and discussed and the opportunities and benefits provided by the coastal and marine environment will be highlighted.

The course will also provide an opportunity for participating journalists to interact with scientists and experts involved in the region's environmental and coastal challenges. Another objective of the course is to establish a network between scientists and journalists for future communication and interactions.

Some field trips will be arranged to visit selected sites and experience some of the issues that will be presented and discussed during the course.

Financial support in terms of return ticket, accommodation and boarding will be provided to the selected participants.

For application form, visit: http://fojointernational.fo.hik.se/

Last date to apply: August 20, 2009.

Last Date: 24 Apr 2010