Liberia: News Staff Departs for U.S.

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The NEWS' Newspaper Legislative Reporter and trainer at the Peter Quaqua School of Journalism has departed for the United States of America to attend an exchange program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

Necus M. Andrews will join a number of participants from across the world to attend this year's International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), a professional exchange program of the U.S. Department of State.

The International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) is expected to offer current and emerging international leaders the opportunity to experience the richness and diversity of American political, economic, social and cultural life through carefully designed exchanges that reflect participants' professional interests and the public diplomacy objectives of the United States government.

Andrews was nominated by the U.S. Embassy in Liberia.

Participants for the training are selected from Bangladesh, Chile, Egypt, India, Kazakhstan, Liberia, Malaysia, Poland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Turkey, United Kingdom and Uruguay.

He will represent Liberia at the three weeks training which focuses on examining the rights and responsibility of a free press in a democracy and the principles and laws governing the press in the United States and gain an understanding of the evaluation, status, and trends in investigative journalism in the United States.

The training would also provide participants all of whom are journalists to explore unique aspects that distinguish investigative reporting from traditional journalism.

Understating the role that investigative journalists play in U.S. society by awareness of issues of social concern or by reporting on illegal, irregular, or abusive actions on behalf of government, politicians, or corporation and the need to accessing the impact of social media, new communication technologies, citizens journalism, and alternative forms of investigating reporting are highlighted issues that will be discussed at the training.

"Freedom of expression is one of the fundamental pillars of an open and democratic society and a hallmark of the United States. This project will explore the role that investigative journalists play in the U.S. society by raising of issues of social concern and by informing the public corruption, graft, abuse of power and other issues that impact government, local communities, business, the environment, health, safety and society," the training description is quoted as saying.

Participants will use the three weeks to explore the value and ethics that underlie investigative journalism and will examine the impact of investigative journalism on U.S. history as well as on current politics and society.

The exchange brings up to 5,000 professional emerging leaders from around the world to the United States each year for programs of up to three weeks. The program is nomination only by staff at U.S. Embassies

In 1940, was named the Coordinator of Commercial and Cultural Affairs for the American Republics.

He initiated the exchange of persons program with Latin America, inviting 130 Latin American journalists to the United States and recognized as the first exchange under what would become the IVLP.