March 28, 2024

Event Coverage Highlight

Pitching for Peace, A Competition for Journalists

War Stories Peace Stories and the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting partner to offer journalism grants for peace reporting in international conflict areas.

War Stories Peace Stories, in partnership with the Pulitzer Center, invites journalists working from any platform to pitch a project focused on an underreported nonviolent response or peace effort in an international conflict area.

Three projects will be selected for Pulitzer Center funding. The level of support awarded will vary between $5,000 and $20,000, based on travel and related costs associated with each project. All three winners will present their pitches live to a panel of judges at the War Stories Peace Stories Symposium on April 11, 2018, at the Times Center in New York City. One of the journalists will be selected for an additional $5,000 award.

“A peacebuilder can be as heroic as a soldier, yet we do not often see stories about nonviolent response to conflict,” said Jamil Simon, Executive Director of War Stories Peace Stories. “With this pitch competition, we’re hoping to inspire journalists to seek out stories that focus on peacebuilding and nonviolent resistance in conflict areas.”

“We’re excited for journalists to pitch their ideas in this forum, and we believe it will inspire others to approach conflict reporting in different ways,” said Jon Sawyer, Executive Director of the Pulitzer Center. “Our partnership with the War Stories Peace Stories team furthers our own commitment to promoting great journalism via innovative collaborations.”

WSPS seeks pitches that illuminate peace in areas of international conflict and extremism. “We’re interested in stories that capture the drama of peace negotiations, nonviolent protest and resistance, or community efforts to prevent violence and preserve peace,” added Simon. “We’re looking for stories that help us understand nonviolent solutions to conflict, stories of ordinary people and communities working for peace in dangerous circumstances, of emerging leaders trying to realize their vision for peace. And we’re looking for stories that will capture the imagination of editors at leading news outlets—and of the audiences they serve.”

Applications are due March 1, 2018 at 11:59 pm EST. Established and emerging journalists working in any medium are welcome to apply. Three winners will be announced on March 20. Winners must be available to travel to NYC for the event on April 11, 2018.

To apply or see pitch rules, please visit pulitzercenter.org orwarstoriespeacestories.org