Professor Nathaniel Laor — one of the world’s leading experts in the traumatic impact of disasters on children, families, and communities — will deliver the 2011 Van Leer Lecture on Sunday, April 10, at the Council on Foundations Annual Conference in Philadelphia, U.S.A. He will discuss the harrowing impact of violence in children’s lives and offer ways to build resilience to traumatic events. Read more (pdf)

The Bernard van Leer Foundation has announced it will commit €300,000 to support the United Nations’ Special Representative of the Secretary General on Violence against Children. With this contribution, the Bernard van Leer Foundation is the first private foundation to commit financial support to this new UN effort.

The Bernard van Leer Foundation has chosen six young journalists from developing countries to be the inaugural recipients of the Oscar van Leer Fellowships. The fellowships aim to increase the quantity and quality of media coverage of issues affecting young children. For further details, please see the press release.

The foundation is pleased to announce the inaugural 2009 Oscar van Leer Fellowships for journalists. See the press release (pdf) to find out more about who is eligible and how to apply.