FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Rennie Sloan, [email protected]
ATLANTA…As part of a partnership with the Al Jalila Foundation, The Carter Center announced today two new recipients of the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism Program in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The program is the first mental health fellowship program for journalists in the Middle East, launched in the UAE in 2016 with two journalism fellows. See below for journalist names and project topics.
Over nearly two decades, the Center has awarded one-year fellowships to nearly 200 journalists to connect them with resources and experts to increase the quality and accuracy of mental health reporting around the world. The program is currently in the United States, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Colombia and was previously in New Zealand, South Africa, and Romania.
“These fellows can reshape how media in the Middle East covers one of the most significant, misunderstood public health problems. Like the fellows before them, they will likely impact their colleagues and newsrooms, and become the point person in their field on mental health issues,” said former U.S. First Lady Rosalynn Carter.
The Carter Center provides training, educational materials, mentorship, evaluation tools, and technical assistance to Al Jalila Foundation to develop a sustainable and tailored program in the UAE.
The Al Jalila Foundation manages the program in the UAE and is responsible for the selection of journalists and adapting the program to meet the needs of the Emirates.
Her Excellency Dr Raja Easa Al Gurg, Chairperson of the Board of Directors and Member of the Board of Trustees of Al Jalila Foundation, said: “Journalists have immense power to inform, educate and influence society. Their support is essential to raise awareness and create a dialogue about mental health in the region. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that people with mental illnesses are not marginalized and that they receive the required support to live happy productive lives.”
Dr. Abdulkareem Al Olama, chief executive officer of Al Jalila Foundation, said: “It is a huge privilege to partner with The Carter Center to continue the incredible work that former United States First Lady Rosalynn Carter has done to combat the stigma associated with mental illnesses. This is the second year that we have offered the mental health journalism program in the UAE and we look forward to working with the new fellows to initiate positive conversations on mental health to overcome the cycle of stigma."
Since the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism were established in 1996, fellows have produced more than 1500 stories, documentaries, books, and other works during and after their fellowship year. Their projects have garnered Emmy Awards, nominations for the Pulitzer Prize, and other awards.
The 2017-2018 recipients of the UAE Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism are:
Iman Ben Chaibah
CEO and Editor-in-Chief (Founder)
Sail Publishing and Sail Magazine
Dubai, UAE
Project: A study on mental health issues among UAE youth and to disseminate information on why and how to support people who suffer from mental illnesses.
Nahid Mubarak Khamis Faraj Alawani Alnaqbi
Senior Reporter
Albayan Newspaper
Sharjah, UAE
Project: Explore why the treatment of mental illnesses remains shrouded in fear and misconceptions in the UAE and how to reduce mental health stigma.
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The Carter Center
"Waging Peace. Fighting Disease. Building Hope."
A not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization, The Carter Center has helped to improve life for people in over 80 countries by resolving conflicts; advancing democracy, human rights, and economic opportunity; preventing diseases; and improving mental health care. The Carter Center was founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, in partnership with Emory University, to advance peace and health worldwide.
Al Jalila Foundation
Al Jalila Foundation, a global philanthropic organisation dedicated to transforming lives through medical education and research, was founded by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Ruler of Dubai in April 2013, to position Dubai and the UAE at the forefront of medical innovation.
Al Jalila Foundation promotes medical education and research by investing in the UAE’s medical treatment capabilities; it provides scholarships to nurture a home-grown generation of medical professionals and supports ground-breaking research that addresses health challenges prevalent in the region. The Al Jalila Foundation Research Centre, set to open in 2017 in Dubai Healthcare City, will be a beacon for regionally-relevant medical innovation produced by home-grown biomedical researchers. The UAE’s first independent multi-disciplinary medical research centre will focus on five of the most pressing regional health challenges: cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity and mental health. Benefitting from the Foundation’s global outreach, the Al Jalila Foundation Research Centre will bring together international best practice and regional expertise in a cultivating environment with state-of-the-art facilities.
Al Jalila Foundation is named after Her Highness Sheikha Al Jalila Bint Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the daughter of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed and Chairperson of Dubai Healthcare City Authority Her Royal Highness Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein. Al Jalila Foundation is fully funded by the generosity of donors. 100% of funds donated to Al Jalila Foundation are invested into medical research, education and treatment in the UAE.
Al Jalila Foundation is one of the 28 member organisations under the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives. Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives embodies the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to improve the Arab world through humanitarian, developmental and community work.
For more information on Al Jalila Foundation, please visit www.aljalilafoundation.ae.
For media inquiries in the UAE, contact Carla Duarte, +971 50 654 0296, [email protected]
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