2 December 2009

Funding from The United Nations Democracy Fund

In November, INSP learned that a funding application made to the UNDEF was successful. Despite the enormous competition, INSP was awarded $350,000 over 2 years to develop our African street-paper network. The project will focus on increasing the flow and quality of news coming from our African street papers as well as building the capacity of individual papers.

The project will enable INSP to hire a development professional and trainer to work on the ground with our local papers and The Big Issue Zambia will co-ordinate various regional activities, including an annual conference. Additional journalism training will be provided by external media, including regional Inter Press Service. We are very grateful to the UNDEF for their support. In November, INSP learned that a funding application made to the UNDEF was successful. Despite the enormous competition, INSP was awarded $350,000 over 2 years to develop our African street-paper network. The project will focus on increasing the flow and quality of news coming from our African street papers as well as building the capacity of individual papers. The project will enable INSP to hire a development professional and trainer to work on the ground with our local papers and The Big Issue Zambia will co-ordinate various regional activities, including an annual conference. Additional journalism training will be provided by external media, including regional Inter Press Service. We are very grateful to the UNDEF for their support.

Reuters Reception for INSP

On November 30th, Thomson Reuters hosted exclusive reception on behalf of INSP at the Reuters Building at Canary Wharf in London.

David Schlesinger [right], Editor-in-Chief of Reuters News and INSP Honorary President, reflected upon the past successes of INSP and looked to the future of the organisation in the company of many high profile figures from the worlds of business and media. INSP Chairperson Serge Lareault also spoke at the event, sharing his experience of the street paper movement.

INSP staff attended the event, along with Chairperson Serge Lareault, who reflected on his experience of the street paper movement and his hopes for an exciting and dynamic future. Serge's colleague Richard Turgeon, L'Itineraire's Director of Strategic Development, Marketing and Communications also attended.

This event is the final of a series of special 15th anniversary celebrations for INSP, which took place throughout 2009, including a Civic Reception in Glasgow; the 14th annual conference and the second INSP awards in Norway. Click here for pictures of the event.