The Middle East Program is pleased to announce the 2023 competition for the Wilson Center’s Visiting Arab Journalist Program. One Arab, Middle Eastern or North African journalist will be selected to spend 3 months in residence at the Woodrow Wilson Center, in the heart of Washington, D.C., where they will carry out advanced, policy-oriented research and writing. This program is made possible by generous financial support provided by Dr. David Ottaway, Middle East Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson Center.

Eligibility

  • This competition is open to Arab men and women from, and working in, the Middle East or North Africa in the Arabic media. Applications will be accepted from members of the print, television, radio or electronic media. Candidates must be currently working as reporters and columnists or broadcasters.
  • Applicants must have at least five years of professional experience and must be able to work in both written and spoken English and Arabic. Applicants must be able to hold a valid passport and obtain a J1 visa.

The Center will assist in the visa process.

Length of Appointment and Responsibilities

  • Journalists will be in residence for three months at the Woodrow Wilson Center from March 1 – May 31, 2023. While at the Wilson Center, they will be expected to carry out a full schedule of independent research and writing based on the topic outlined in the research proposal submitted at the time of application.
  • They will also be strongly encouraged to participate occasionally in conferences organized by the Center’s Middle East Program, and in other ways to participate in the intellectual life of the Wilson Center and the larger community of Middle East observers in Washington.

Stipend

  • The stipend provided is $5,000 per month. In addition, the Wilson Center will pay roughly three-quarters of the health insurance premiums for the visiting journalist, and the journalist will pay roughly one-quarter of the cost.
  • The journalist will be provided with suitable work space, a Windows-based computer, and where feasible, a part-time research assistant. The Wilson Center Library provides access to digital resources, its book and journal collections, and to the Library of Congress, university and special libraries in the area, and other research facilities.

Application Procedure;

Applicants should submit the following materials in English electronically to mep@wilsoncenter.org. All documents must be in PDF format. 

1) Completed Application Form, found at the top of the page.

2) a 1,000 word maximum description of a proposed project that would benefit from a stay in Washington, D.C.
– a detailed explanation of the research topic relevant to the Middle East and the United States;
– including the importance and originality of the project; and
– the significance of the project to contemporary Middle East/ United States policy issues;

3) a CV or resume

4) a writing sample

5) two letters of recommendation, one of which should not be from someone with whom the applicant has worked.

Recommendation letters should address the quality and significance of the research, and the capabilities and achievements of the applicant.

Application letters and letters of recommendation should be sent to E-mail: mep@wilsoncenter.org

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage

Application Deadline: January 15, 2023.

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