United Nations Foundation Announces Press Fellowship to the UN General Assembly with a Special Focus on Climate Change

The United Nations Foundation today announced its 10^th annual press fellowship to the opening of the 74^th session of the UN General Assembly – the annual gathering of heads of state at the UN headquarters in New York. The fellowship will take place from September 21 to September 25, 2019. A stipend will be provided to cover travel, lodging costs, and meals. Participating journalists will have access to exclusive briefings on the issues that impact lives around the world, including a special focus on climate change.

The International Labour Organization recently reported that 80 million jobs could be lost by 2030 due to global warming. And, the World Health Organization found that 9 out of 10 people breathe polluted air, triggering up to 33 million asthma-related visits to the emergency room per year. Progress on issues such as poverty, hunger, and health care are increasingly threatened by climate change – the greatest challenge to sustainable development, according to a new UN report.

This September in New York, governments, climate scientists, and young people will come together to assess progress on these issues. This press fellowship will take place alongside key events, including:

• The UN Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit, which will bring together leaders to ramp up climate action in support of the Paris Agreement.
• The UN Youth Climate Summit, where hundreds of young people will come together to share solutions for climate action.
• Global student climate strikes.
• The launch of the Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
• The Sustainable Development Goals Summit, which marks the first UN summit on the Sustainable Development Goals since they were adopted in 2015.
• A high-level meeting on Universal Health Coverage, where leaders will come together to support affordable health for all.

“Climate change threatens everything – from our food systems to the health of our oceans to the quality of the air we breathe – putting the futures of our youth at risk,” said Kathy Calvin, President & CEO of the UN Foundation. “It’s time to take a hard look at just how interconnected these global issues are and find solutions that work for our changing planet.”

Selected journalists will have direct access to UN experts and activists on the frontlines of global progress. This fellowship is intended for journalists who are interested in foreign affairs, health, justice and equality issues, climate change, and the work of the United Nations to address global challenges. We welcome applications from journalists reporting from all countries and filing across all platforms.

The application can be found here. Application deadline: Monday, August 12, 2019. The fellowship will take place from September 21 to September 25, 2019. For more information, please contact Serena Jiwani at sjiwani@unfoundation.org.

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About the United Nations Foundation

The United Nations Foundation acts as a strategic partner to help the United Nations mobilize the ideas, people, and resources it needs to drive global progress and tackle urgent challenges. We focus on issues at the heart of the Sustainable Development Goals, build initiatives across sectors to solve problems at scale, and engage citizens who seek action. Founded in 1998 by entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Turner, the UN Foundation works with philanthropic, corporate, government, and individual partners. Learn more at: www.unfoundation.org.

Media Contact:

Serena Jiwani

UN Foundation

Email: sjiwani@unfoundation.org

Phone: 202-854-2355