Young Egyptian reporter, Nada Arafat, wins environmental journalism competition run by the British Embassy in Cairo and Mada Masr
British Ambassador John Casson: “A free and professional media that keeps government effective, transparent, and accountable is a vital ingredient of stability and democracy.”
Nada Arafat, a young Egyptian reporter, has won a competition run by the British Embassy in Cairo and online news magazine Mada Masr to find the best in new environmental journalism in Egypt.
Nada was one of ten journalists from different governorates across Egypt who participated in an intensive week-long course run by Mada Masr on the principles and practice of environmental journalism.
The course focused on how to increase public awareness of environmental issues, which often receive limited media coverage yet can have serious, long-term impacts on communities.
Nada’s investigation into the environmental degradation of Lake Borolos in Kafr Sheikh was selected as the best article produced by the course participants. With the support of Mada Masr, Nada and director Mohamed Effat turned the investigation into a short documentary film, “Boloros – Threatened Treasure”.
As a finale to the project, the British Embassy in Cairo hosted the screening of the film on Wednesday 18 March, followed by a discussion on the environmental challenges facing Lake Borolos.
Hosting the event, British Ambassador John Casson said: “The world depends on Egypt to find a third way between authoritarianism and extremism. A free and professional media that keeps government effective, transparent, and accountable is a vital ingredient of stability and democracy. I am inspired by Nada and the other young journalists I have met tonight and proud that Britain is investing in them.”
Lina Attalah, Editor-in-Chief of Mada Masr said: “I am glad our collaboration with the British Embassy has borne fruit with a community of actively engaged and well trained environment journalists from different parts of Egypt. This kind of reporting is urgent and crucial, while being scarce in the local media landscape. It will certainly improve our work in Mada Masr.”
The article is available on the Mada Masr website, here: http://www.madamasr.com/sections/environment/stolen-waters-stolen-livelihoods