The VII Foundation is entering a very exciting 2019, with the culmination of its Peace Project, the creation of a full-fledged Academy in Perpigan, France, and much else.
I have finished reviewing the manuscript for the forthcoming Peace Project book, which I found fascinating and tremendously powerful. The book, which will cover the tremulous peace in Bosnia, Cambodia, Lebanon, Liberia, Northern Ireland, and Rwanda, features contributions from eminent journalists and photographers who reported on the former conflicts.
Particularly meaningful is VII’s profile of Shahidul Alam, and its creation of two student grants at the Danish School of Media and Journalism, one in honor of Shahidul and the other in honor of the late Alexandra Boulat:
Shahidul Alam
On November 20, 2018, after more than 100 days in prison, Shahidul Alam, a member of our VII Foundation Advisory Board, was released on bail, but the case against him has not been dropped. If convicted after trial, he faces a jail term of up to 14 years on charges of spreading propaganda against the government under Bangladesh’s Information Communication and Technology Act (ICT), a law that human rights groups have decried as ‘draconian.’
He has received a number of awards recently, some accepted by friends and family who fought for his release from prison. These include the Frontline Club Tribute Award, the Lucie Humanitarian Award, and being named among TIME magazine's Person of the Year 2018.
VII Photo Agency and the VII Foundation were involved in advocating for Shahidul’s release. Board member Sherman Teichman led that initiative for the Foundation and we will continue to support Shahidul in the coming months. The VII Academy will be supporting the Chobi Mela Festival, which was founded by Shahidul in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in February by sending teachers to work with Bangladeshi students during the festival.
Alexandra Boulat & Shahidul Alam Grants
After a research trip by Gary to the Danish School of Media and Journalism in Aarhus, Denmark, we stepped in to replace two grants that had been withdrawn from the school by the Danish Government (due to reduced funding for journalism education) for students from the majority world. We asked that one grant be given to a female and one to a male student and that they be given in honor of Alexandra Boulat and Shahidul Alam. Once the grants were announced, there were over 50 applicants in 48 hours. The Directors of the Danish School selected Deepti Asthanafrom India, who received The Alexandra Boulat Grant, and Mushfiq Mahbub Turjo from Bangladesh, who received The Shahidul Alam Grant to study photojournalism for one semester in the spring of 2019. Both grants were funded by the VII Academy with funds donated by Jennifer and include accommodation, tuition, and some expenses.
The Alexandra Boulat Grant is given in remembrance of the late prize-winning French photographer who was a member and co-founder of VII Photo Agency. The Shahidul Alam Grant is given in honor of the great importance Shahidul Alam has for the development of independent photojournalism, particularly elevating the presence of young men and women from the majority world.