By Jose van Gelder.
During the IFAJ executive meeting in Berlin this January, this year’s Master Class organizing committee gathered to discuss plans for the 2012 program in Sweden, August 13-14, 2012.
The plans are progressing well. Here’s an update:
– We have received 25 applications from journalists in developing countries. The Agriterra worldwide network was mainly used to identify prospective applicants.
– The venue is superb: the Royal Swedish Academy for Forestry and Agriculture in Stockholm, courtesy of organizing committee member Magnus Stark.
– The Academy will host a welcome event Sunday evening.
– The Master Class and the IFAJ-Alltech Boot Camp for young leaders will run a combined program on the first day.
– Workshops will be delivered by IFAJ members to reinforce the peer-to-peer aspect of the program.
– Applicants will be asked to write a short story on the role of cooperatives in development in their country.
– Their articles will be published online and in the Dutch Cooperative Council magazine (links to the articles will be made available on the IFAJ website)
– These articles along with the applicants’ credentials (CVs and previously published work) will be used to select the 10 participants for the Master Class.
This year’s organizing committee consists of Jacques van Outryve (Belgium), Lena Johansson (Sweden), Magnus Stark (Sweden), IFAJ Secretary General Owen Roberts (liaison to the Boot Camp) and Jose van Gelder as coordinator.
For more information contact Jose at vangelder(at)agriterra.org
Check out the IFAJ Facebook page regularly for news about the Master Class and the congress.
