IUCN India announces call for 'Stories of Hope Media Fellowship'

Overview

The Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) is home to some of the world’s most critical and diverse ecosystems, yet it faces mounting challenges due to climate change, deforestation, biodiversity loss, and socio-economic pressures. As we work to address these complex issues, it is essential to strengthen the media’s role in raising awareness, facilitating informed discourse, and inspiring local and national action for conservation.

Geographical location of Indian Himalayan States/Union Territories

In the face of these challenges, “Himalaya for Future”, an IUCN-TATA Initiative supported by TCS Foundation is pioneering innovative solutions for conservation, sustainability, and community-led stewardship of the region’s natural resources. Himalaya for the Future, aims to develop a strong basis for nature-based solutions underpinning development, which will result in a significant legacy of improved social, economic and environmental conditions in the Himalayan region. The project focuses on seven thematic areas: forest & ecosystem, sustainable livelihood, wildlife conservation, water resources, clean energy, urban resilience and sustainable waste management, tied with five crosscutting areas: climate change, nature-based solutions, gender, disaster risk reduction and traditional knowledge.

About the fellowship

This fellowship will support the documentation and dissemination of impactful stories from the Indian Himalayan Region, bringing attention to the urgent need for sustainable solutions.

The Stories of Hope Media Fellowship aims to empower young media fellows to become voices for Himalayan conservation—elevating real stories that catalyse change and spotlight innovative, on-ground solutions.

Fellows will get the chance to create a compelling body of work from the region and publish these stories through their respective media platforms.

Let’s redefine the future of the Himalayas, one story at a time. Join us in amplifying the voices that will lead the charge for conservation and sustainable development.

Objectives and indicative themes:
The Stories Hope Media Fellowship is designed to:

• Deepen media understanding and coverage of critical conservation issues in the Indian Himalayan Region, including biodiversity, water conservation, climate change, sustainable livelihoods, and cultural heritage preservation.
• Engage regional and local journalists, providing them with resources to create high-quality, research-based content for diverse media platforms.
• Foster collaboration between media professionals, conservation experts, and communities to ensure the stories told are grounded in local realities and inspire effective action.
• Strengthen local media capacity, enabling fellows to produce accurate and insightful stories that can influence public opinion, policymaking, and grassroots advocacy on conservation issue

Indicative thematic areas: 
Forest and Ecosystem, Sustainable Livelihood, Wildlife Conservation, Water Resources, Clean Energy, Urban Resilience and Sustainable Waste Management

Cross cutting areas: 
Climate Change, Nature-Based Solutions, Gender, Disaster Risk Reduction and Traditional Knowledge

What’s at Stake?
The Indian Himalayan Region is facing an unprecedented crisis—rapid ecological degradation, loss of biodiversity, vanishing glaciers, and a delicate balance between development and conservation. But within this crisis lies opportunity: local communities are leading the charge, finding innovative solutions that combine traditional knowledge with modern science. The Stories of Hope Media Fellowship aims to put these voices at the forefront.

In an era of noise and oversaturation, the challenge is not only to report but to reframe the narrative, highlighting not just the problems but the solutions. By engaging regional and local journalists, this fellowship will work to:

• Transform the narrative: Shift focus from environmental doom to inspiring stories of action, innovation, and collaboration for a sustainable future.
• Create compelling content: Develop media articles, Photo essays, and multimedia features that reveal the human, environmental, and economic impact of Himalayan conservation efforts.
• Uncover hidden stories: Explore stories that rarely make headlines—community-driven conservation initiatives, , include policy and advocacy and cutting-edge research that’s reshaping the future of the Himalayas.
• Engage local audiences: Prioritize content that speaks to the different stakeholders??? communities most affected by environmental issues and can drive grassroots action.

The fellowship experience:

The fellowship will offer young fellows a comprehensive experience through:

• Field visits to conservation hotspots: Travel to the heart of the Indian Himalayas in any of the 13 States/UTs to witness firsthand the environmental challenges and innovative solutions being implemented on the ground. Engage with local communities, conservationists, and scientists working on the frontlines of the region’s ecological preservation.
• Access to exclusive resources and data: Receive behind-the-scenes access to the Himalaya for Future programme’s data, reports, providing you with in-depth insights into the region’s conservation efforts.
• Creative freedom: Whether it's writing a feature article, photo, fellows will have the opportunity to innovate in how they tell stories. This fellowship prioritizes original, bold ideas that push the boundaries of traditional environmental reporting.

Timeline and Budget

The maximum time for completing the fellowship work is four months, starting from 01 August 2025. 

• August – October : Fieldwork, Research, Drafting & Content Development (flexible based on each fellow’s progress)

• November : Final Submission, Publishing in Media

Each fellow will be granted INR 70,000 to support their work, covering all associated costs, including fieldwork, equipment, and travel expenses and to publish one story of 1,000-1,500 words on one of selected themes under HFF initiative, and reported in different media over the fellowship period. 

Fellows will also receive firsthand access to the Himalaya for Future programme’s resources, data, and experts.