The Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ) will be offering free membership for a period of up to three years to any Afghan journalist who left Afghanistan after May 1, 2021 and settled in Canada.
The CAJ has spoken up in the past about Canada’s obligation to support Afghan journalists, many of whom have risked their personal safety to help Canadian reporters bear witness and report safely during the Afghan conflict. We continue to work with several industry partners to urge the federal government to fulfill its promises and to do everything in its power to provide safe passage to those Afghan journalists who still wish to leave the country.
We are aware of a number of journalists who have settled in Canada, and we endorse all initiatives aimed at supporting them in their new country. We hope the modest gesture of free membership in the CAJ will allow them to take part in the broader community of Canadian journalism.
“Over the past several months, many Canadian reporters have been working tirelessly to ensure the safety and security of Afghan colleagues who provided them with the expert knowledge to report in extremely challenging circumstances,” said Brent Jolly, president of the CAJ.
“Now, as more Afghan journalists slowly begin to arrive in Canada, it is our duty to extend them the same courtesy; to assist them in building a network of meaningful professional connections in this country.”
For more information, or to apply for the free membership, please contact us.
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