Riyadh, January 26, 2023, SPA -- International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID) announced today the launch of the 2nd edition of the Journalism Fellowship Program for Dialogue in the Arab region. The program targets a new group of male and female journalists from the Arab region who will receive training on dialogue journalism, conduct professional reports that focus on matters related to interfaith and intercultural dialogue, religious relations, identity, and conflicts, with the aim of enhancing pluralism, diversity, peaceful coexistence, and ethical standards of journalism and combating hate speech. KAICIID's Secretary General, Dr. Zuhair Alharthi, explained that the second edition of the Fellowship Program was launched following the success achieved in the first edition out of a deep conviction of the leading role of journalists in combating hate speech and promoting the culture of dialogue. He added that, according to the approved schedule for the Fellowship Program, selected candidates will be invited for interviews by late February, with the program to begin online in March 2023, followed by on-the-ground training in April 2023. For his part, Wasim Haddad, the Director of Programs in the Arab region, said: "This program is one of the main axes within the center's work strategy in the Arab region, which primarily aims at building social cohesion and promoting the values ​​of dialogue and common citizenship through intensified work and building partnerships with religious leaders, policy makers, the youth, and women as main pillars of change in the region, as it is clear to everyone the leading roles the media can play in this regard.” As per the admission rules to the program, a relevant committee should select between 20 to 25 journalists (between the ages of 28 and 40), according to the following conditions: They must be working in print, audio, or digital media, and have at least five years of experience in journalism or in other related fields, they must have a professional record in sensitive conflict environments, and they need to be citizens of an Arab country. Journalists will join a one-year training program, and the group will be able to attend online training sessions and participate in three face-to-face capacity-building courses, each lasting four days, where they will be trained on “dialogue journalism" techniques in addition to implementing a practical initiative on media and promoting dialogue. --SPA 21:24 LOCAL TIME 18:24 GMT 0031 www.spa.gov.sa/w1845939