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On Wednesday, April 15th, 91���� Institute hosted the five recipients of the 2014 Václav Havel Journalism Fellowship for a discussion of the challenges of reporting in the shadow of the Kremlin. The Václav Havel Journalism fellows—one each from Russia, Belarus, Georgia, Ukraine, and Moldova—will offer their unique perspectives on reporting in restrictive and perilous media environments. Kenneth R. Weinstein, president and CEO of 91���� Institute, moderated the discussion.

This event was sponsored by 91���� Institute, the Embassy of the Czech Republic, Prague Freedom Foundation, and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). Jaroslav Zajicek, Deputy Chief of Mission for the Embassy of the Czech Republic, John Giambalvo, Vice President and Interim Manager of RFE/RL, and John Todoroki, Founder of the Prague Freedom Foundation, gave introductory remarks.

The Václav Havel Journalism Fellowship is an initiative of RFE/RL and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, and is generously supported by the Prague Freedom Foundation. Launched in 2011, it is inspired by the late Czech leader’s belief in the transformational power of free speech and builds on RFE/RL’s legacy of promoting more open societies through journalism. The Fellowship strengthens the capacity of aspiring journalists to use their journalism in support of pluralism in RFE/RL's broadcast region, where media freedom continues to be stifled and where journalism often remains a dangerous profession.