Theme:  Bridging Gaps Between the United States and the Muslim World

The purposes of this Seminar are to:

• Provide opportunities for Asian and United States journalists to meet and discuss issues which appear to have caused deterioration in the traditionally good relationships between Asian countries with large Muslim populations and the United States, especially since 9/11.
• Explore these issues with government officials, diplomats, community leaders, religious authorities and others active in the dialogue on Asian-U.S. relations.
• Address with journalists from Asia and the United States political and cultural challenges faced by professional journalists in reporting on and commenting on issues in contemporary Asian-U.S. relations. 

Program Dates:  March 15 - April 4, 2009

Study Tour for Asian Journalists:  Washington, DC; Nashville, Tennessee; Los Angeles, California

Study Tour for American Journalists:  Jakarta, Indonesia; Johor, Malaysia; Singapore;

The program opens and concludes in Honolulu, Hawaii, for joint sessions between Asian and American participants

Funding:  Roundtrip airfare for the study tour, lodging and a per diem are provided.  Selected participants are responsible for their own visa fees and roundtrip airfare from their home city to Honolulu, where the study tour opens and concludes. 

Congratulations to the 2009 Senior Journalists Seminar participants:

Asian Journalists:

• Art Bonjoc Jr., Area News Manager, ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation, Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines
• Syed Shujaat Bukhari, Bureau Chief, The Hindu, Sringagar, India
• Muhammad Ibrahim Khan, Senior Staff Reporter, News Network International, Peshawar, Pakistan
• Purwani Diyah Prabandari, Bureau Chief for Central Java and Yogyakarta, Tempo International Media, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
• Saini Bin Salleh, Assistant Editor, Berita Harian, Singapore
• Reza Zandi, Member, Iranian Journalists Association, Tehran, Iran

American Journalists:

• Antonio Bernhardt, Jr., Senior Assignment Editor, WTTG Fox News, Washington, DC
• Tricia Escobedo, News Editor, The CNN Wire, CNN, Atlanta, GA
• Paul Feldman, Assignment Foreign Editor, Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, CA
• Adam Najberg, Senior Editor, Video, Wall Street Journal, New York, NY
• Robin Shulman, Reporter New York Bureau, The Washington Post, New York, NY
• Alex Travelli, Editor Online Edition, The Economist, New York, NY