NOTE: Sorry about the earlier blank post :)

*Citizen Journalism coming of age*

/Wikinews Achieves Unprecedented Interview with Shimon Peres/

When you think of citizen journalism, you might think of the last blog you read or someone's ranting opinion on what they saw on TV. However, citizen journalism has come of age, and is attracting the attention of leaders worldwide. Wikinews, Wikipedia's sister project, is a pioneer in this new medium, and is paving the way for citizen journalists through the globe.

On January 9, 2008 Wikinews published an interview with Shimon Peres, President of Israel and Nobel Peace Prize recipient. Peres met with David Shankbone, Wikinews reporter, on December 20, 2007, and discussed a diversity of topics, including Iranian politics, whether Israel is in danger of being side-lined in Middle Eastern importance because of Arab oil wealth, and Peres's thoughts against those who say Israeli culture is in a state of decay.

Shankbone was one of several technology reporters invited to Israel by the foreign ministry and the America-Israel Friendship League in December 2007.

This is the first interview granted to Wikinews by a distinguished head of state, and is a symbolic milestone for the news site.

To view article, visit: http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Shimon_Peres_discusses_the_future_of_Israel

In the past, Wikinews has interviewed Reverend Al Sharpton, Republican presidential candidates Sam Brownback, Tom Tancredo, and Duncan Hunter, World Wide Web co-inventor Robert Cailliau, and New Zealand MP Nick Smith, among others