‘Imaging Our Mekong’ is an annual fellowship programme open to journalists who are nationals of the following countries in the Mekong region: Cambodia, China, Lao PDR, Thailand and Vietnam.

Supported by the Rockefeller Foundation (South-east Asia) since 2002, it focuses on the production of stories, documentaries and photographic essays on transboundary issues as a result of regional development. Each year, there are 30 fellowship slots open to journalists working in print, photojournalism, and television/film.

‘Imaging Our Mekong’ is aimed at encouraging analysis of cross-border issues – ranging from environment to population mobility, culture, trade health and human security -- using a regional lens that goes beyond traditional news as well as national and political borders.

Journalists may produce their work in local languages.

The programme is implemented by Inter Press Service Asia-Pacific, the Bangkok-based regional headquarters of IPS news agency (www.ipsnews.net) that focuses on events and processes relevant to the global South; and Probe Media Foundation Inc (PMFI) (www.probefound.com) a non-stock, non-profit organisation working on improving the quality of media in the Philippines and in the Asia-Pacific.

The programme aims to:

*enhance professional skills through the hands-on production of articles, photographs and video documentaries and interaction with other journalists and resource persons, as well as field visits

*generate more news material from coverage of cross-border issues at a time of social and economic change

*widen and help create consistent space for news products, in local and international media, generated by local journalists within the region working with organisations grounded in the South

Mechanics

Each cycle of the fellowship begins with applicants making proposals on stories on cross-border issues, followed by screening by IPS Asia-Pacific and Probe Media Foundation.

The fellowship programme includes participation in two regional workshops, training, and coverage and project-related travel, over a five-month period.

Selected fellows for all three media (print, photography and film) attend an opening workshop on cross-border issues in the Mekong region. (Documentary film fellows undergo a 20-day workshop on documentary production in the Philippines.)

Subsequently, fellows proceed to work on their stories (features, photo essays and documentaries), after which they gather again for a media forum where they present and evaluate their work.

The production of the CD and book containing the fellows’ work follows.