Three of Bangladesh’s most promising young journalists Aanila Tarannum, Azmin Azran, and Nafisa Hasan secured a place at Future News Worldwide, a global forum for the media’s next generation. It was held in London from 15-17 July 2019.
Selected from a highly competitive field of more than 3,000 applicants, they represented Bangladesh among 100 delegates from 53 countries. Over two days they went through the latest insights from current media leaders and disruptors while building their own international connections.
Future News Worldwide is developed by the British Council in partnership with leading news and digital media organisations to identify, train and connect the next generation of top international journalists. Held at the Thomson Reuters Headquarters in London, delegates gain rare access to world-leading media professionals. This year’sspeaker panel included Christina Lamb, Sunday Times Chief Foreign Correspondent, Sreenivasan Jain, New Delhi Television Limited Managing Editor and Sonny Swe, co-founder of the Myanmar Times and star of the TED talk ‘Talking to Spiders in Jail’.
As the media itself is increasingly the subject of news headlines, the event presented a timely opportunity to focus on the universal values of objectivity, balance, and evidence that underpin the profession. Topics under the lens included media freedom and responsibility; truth and transparency; empowering audiences and challenging cynicism.
Azmin Azran said, “The way news is consumed and produced is ever-changing, and FNW will give me the opportunity to get up to date, and even share some of my own experiences in this regard.”
Mark Wood, former Editor-in-Chief of Reuters and Chair of the Future News Advisory Board said, “Future News Worldwide attracts some of the world's most promising young journalists. The programme promotes the importance of free media and the key tenets of responsible journalism. It gives the participants the chance to meet outstanding media figures, visit famous newsrooms and learn research, editing and production skills in a series of workshops. A lively alumni network demonstrates how much those who took part in previous events truly value the experience and put it to work in their professional lives.”