TANZANIA -- The United Nations says it is naming the annual training program for Palestinian broadcasters and journalists after Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh, who was shot dead May 11 during an Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank.

In making the announcement Tuesday, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the Palestinian-American broadcaster "had a distinguished career in journalism for a quarter of a century" and "was a trailblazer for Arab women, and a role model for journalists in the Middle East and around the world."

The announcement followed a Palestinian appeal to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to honour her by naming the training program after her.