War money could have been better spent

The Iraq War, which has come back to haunt Americans, Iraqis and the world these days, cost people in the United States some $2 trillion. It has been the worst reflection of US might. Yet a journalism fellowship that has won enormous hearts and minds for the US has for years been struggling to raise several hundred thousand US dollars a year.

As the World Press Institute marked its 50th anniversary last weekend, it drew journalists from around the world to St Paul, Minnesota. Journalists, many well-established in their country, came all the way from Brazil, Spain, China, India, Japan, Bangladesh, Romania, Britain, Sweden and Australia, demonstrating the power of the program.

Chinese journalist Hu Shuli, now editor-in-chief of Caixin Media and a 1987 fellow, was among them. This inspiring journalist has written in a book the influence the WPI experience had on her career.