The Dag Hammarskjöld Scholarship Fund for Journalists is now accepting applications from professional journalists from developing countries for its 2011 Fellowship Program. The application deadline is April 6, 2011.

The Fellowships are available to radio, television, print and web journalists, age 25 to 35, from developing countries who are interested in coming to New York to report on international affairs during the 66th session of the United Nations General Assembly. The Fellowships will begin in mid-September and extend to late November and will include the cost of travel and accommodations in New York, as well as a per diem allowance.

The Fellowship Program is open to journalists who are native to one of the developing countries in Africa, Asia, South America and the Caribbean, and are currently working full-time for a bona fide media organization in a developing nation. Applicants must demonstrate an interest in and commitment to international affairs and to conveying a better understanding of the United Nations to their readers and audiences. They must also have approval from their media organizations to spend up to two months in New York to report from the United Nations.

NOTE: For 2011 only, the Fund will not accept applications from the countries of the 2010 Fellows – Nepal, Peru, South Africa and Togo – in an effort to rotate recipient countries.

The journalists who are awarded Fellowships are given the incomparable opportunity to observe international diplomatic deliberations at the United Nations, to make professional contacts that will serve them for years to come, to interact with seasoned journalists from around the world, and to gain a broader perspective and understanding of matters of global concern. Many past Fellows have risen to prominence in their professions and countries. The program is not intended to provide basic skills training to journalists, as all participants must be working media professionals.

This is the 50th year the Dag Hammarskjöld Scholarship Fund has sponsored the fellowship program for journalists. The program is administered on a volunteer basis by journalists at the United Nations, who raise money from foundations, corporations and diplomatic missions to finance it.

Click here for full eligibility and documentation requirements and Fellowship application form. Questions about the program, eligibility and application process can be directed to info2@unjournalismfellowship.org.