WPI alumni enthusiastically applaud program's return
Below are quotes taken from emails WPI alumni sent in response to the news that the World Press Institute program was resuming in 2008.
I’m in Pakistan this morning to cover the crisis and head tomorrow for Afghanistan. In this turbulent part of the world with all its misunderstandings about America, WPI’s role seems even more vital and relevant than it was during the Cold War, when I was a fellow. No one should ever have contemplated ending the program.
Anthony Paul
Columnist (The Straits Times & Canberra Times)
Australian fellow – Class of 1962
This is the best news I've heard in a long, long time. Many congratulations to everyone who's helped get WPI up and running.
Ashok Malik
Senior editor
The Pioneer, New Delhi, India
Class of 2001
In a world of bad news, hearing that WPI is alive again is exciting. I wish I had never been in the program so that I could apply again. And this is a very special year for you and I know for sure that the new fellows will enjoy the stay, learn as journalists and grow as persons. Congratulations, you'll do your best and will keep on going for years and years. And, of course, thank you all for giving me one of the best experiences I ever had.
Silvia Taulés
Sección Internacional
EL MUNDO
Class of 2006
I cannot think of a better start to the year than to receive this news that the WPI is still going strong - and won't be relegated to mere happy memories among those of us who were transformed by being a part of it.
Paul Jansen
CEO - SPH Search Pte Ltd
Singapore Press Holdings
Singapore
Class of 1982
What good news. The WPI fellowship has changed my life and I am very pleased to know many other journalists from around the world will enjoy the experience.
Bertrand Tchoumi
Cameroon
Class of 2003
It is indeed great news to me. As it happened to many of us who were blessed by being part of the program, my life was completely transformed by it. I hope we are called upon in the the future to be of assistance to the program because I'm certain you will find many grateful former fellows. To all, my regards and I'm thrilled to see there are so many of us around.
Bruno López
Vice president/General manager
Univision Online, Miami, Florida
Class of 1979
It is fantastic the program is alive again as it is a unique and valuable program that deserves admiration and support. The WPI provides great opportunity for the journalists around the globe and I hope many many other journalists will have the chance to participate in it.
Maria S. Topalova
BTV Channel-Bulgaria
Class 1994
"his is indeed wonderful news! The program was a turning point for my career, and I am glad to hear others will benefit from it as well.
Daniela Tuchel
Vancouver, Canada
Class of 2005
This is the best news I've ever heard since 2008. That's very good to begin with the new year. I'm glad to know that things are resuming. WPI is a formidable experience and since my returning home I've been urging my fellows to try it. That's why I was sad to hear about its stopping its activities last year.
Mamadou Thior
Senegal – Africa
Class of 2006
It is really wonderful news. I am one of the luckiest journalists who had the chance to be hosted two times by the WPI - in 1996 as its fellow and in 2006 as attending the WPI Transparency Reporting Class. WPI has changed all my professional life and I am glad that more journalists around the Globe would have the chance to experience it.
Alexenia Dimitrova
Special Correspondent and Investigative researcher
24 Hours Daily
Sofia, Bulgaria
Class of 1996
The WPI program is up and running again! This is indeed great news — particularly to those who were fortunate enough to have had the privilege to go through it and to live this truly once in a lifetime experience.
Fawzi H. Rihane
Program Manager
United Nations' International Fund for Agricultural Development
Rome, Italy
This is very good news. Thanks to everybody who made this possible! I joined the WPI in 1983, exactly 25 years ago – and my time here was not only a wonderful experience but also crucial to my career.
Wolfgang Aigner
BAYERISCHER RUNDFUNK
Germany
Class of 1983
I'm still nostalgic of the time I spent in the US with the WPI in 2003. Maybe people turning 33 have a tendency to be nostalgic of a great period of their lives. The fellows, the WPI team and the things we learned helped me to have a broader view over the matters in the US and the world as well as in my professional career.
Great that WPI is up and running. Let many other journalists be nostalgic, too!
Oliver Kiss
Editor-in-chief
Szabadsag - Hungarian Language Regional Newspaper
Transylvania, ROMANIA
Class of 2003
It is indeed a great news that WPI has resumed its operations. It was simply a loss to the institution of Journalism that WPI had closed down. But hats off to American society (not govt) which is concerned about such programmes which infuse new life to the school of journalism. All those who revived this programme deserve appreciation. I am personally indebted to WPI for the benefit I got when I was a fellow in 2003. My best wishes for the programme.
Shujaat Bukhari
Senior Assistant Editor
THE HINDU (India's leading English newspaper)
Srinagar, Kashmir
Class of 2003
Great news indeed that WPI's back. I think for all of us, being a WPI fellow was really a life-changing experience.
Congratulations and thank you to everyone who got the program back on track!
Susan A. De Guzman
Writer/researcher
Art 2 Art
Philippines
Class of 1999
I am glad to know that the World Press Institute program has been restarted. It changed both my life and my professional career for good. I hope there is a chance in the future for a meeting of all the fellows who took part in the program. Such a reunion would be something.
Nelson Castro
Argentina
Class of 1985
Awfully glad to hear that the good old WPI is back in business.
I certainly have, forty years passed, the fondest memories of my time with the Institute, then run by our dear Harry Morgan, now gone.
Please, do count on me whenever we need something from São Paulo, Brazil.
Wladir Dupoint
Salo Paulo, Brazil
Class of 1964
Wonderful news indeed! I am glad to hear that the WPI is going to rock ´n´ roll again. Being a WPI-fellow, I had some of the best moments of my life and I still benefit from the experiences I made. It is great that other journalists will have the same opportunity.
Matthias Bernold
US-Correspondent for the Wiener Zeitung
New York
Class of 2005
WPI is a special grouping of people and every group has wonderful memories to last a lifetime. That is why all of us are so excited at its rebirth. I wish I could be on the programme again, and I am sure many colleagues would.
Edwin Naidu
Senior Writer and editor, The Sunday Independent
Johannesburg, South Africa
Class of 1997
I also want to add my rejoice to the re-initiating of the Program. The spirit of the French House, the colors of Macalester College in St. Paul and all of the US that WPI showed us live in my mind and heart. WPI indeed, changed my life.
Jose E Gonzales
Econoinvest – Caracas, Venezuela
Class of 1986
Memories, memories...
It was a sad moment when we received the information about the demise of the WPI program last spring. When I discussed it with my American colleagues at the The Prague Post they said it was to be expected because of the sad financial situation of printed media in the U.S., its main contributors. It was inevitable, they said.
What a dream come true to hear it's on again!
I guess I am the oldest of those who have expressed their joy and good wishes. We were those lucky journalists who spent months studying, traveling and meeting interesting people from all walks of life whom we otherwise wouldn't have a chance to meet. Those were heroic times of the program. What an incredible and profound experience that has changed lives of many of us and started lifetime friendships! Almost 40 years later I still keep in touch with and occasionally meet my Fergus Falls host family and friends from Minnesota and other states.
My sincere thanks to those who have not given up, started again on excellent foundations and reputation of WPI and many of its grateful fellows.
I would like to wish the board, new executive director and all future fellows all the best and good luck!
Pavel Kriz
Consultant
Lighthouse Marketing Solutions
Prague, Czech Republic
Class of 1969
Like everybody else who was so lucky and privileged to have the WPI experience, I am very, very happy to hear the great news! If there is anything I can do as a former fellow (Class of 2003, temporarily based in Canada, but usually in Berlin, Germany) to support this new start, I would be happy to help! Meanwhile, I am spreading the news amongst as many colleagues in Germany as possible and encourage them to apply.
All the best and good luck for the new start!
Lars von Toerne
Journalist DER TAGESSPIEGEL
Toronto, Canada
Class of 2003
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