Twenty journalists from across the South Caucasus participate in workshop on conflict-sensitive journalism in Famagusta, Northern CyprusFrom 12-17 September 2011, a group of twenty journalists from Abkhazia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and South Ossetia traveled to Famagusta in Northern Cyprus for a five-day workshop on conflict-sensitive journalism. The training was facilitated by international trainers Skip Isaacs and Onnik Krikorian.
During the training the media professionals debated the role of journalists in reporting from or within regions that have experienced violent conflicts and the practical implications of the term “peace journalism”. They engaged in group discussions and teamwork to develop ideas for joint media projects in the South Caucasus region, including on the joint development of human-interest stories across conflict dividing lines. The participants also discussed the use of new and social media tools in conflict-sensitive reporting. Dr Jan Asmussen, of ECMI’s head office in Germany, and Dr Erol Kaymak, of Eastern Mediterranean University in Famagusta, briefed the South Caucasus journalists about the history and actual situation of the Cyprus conflict. The group also visited the Cyprus Community Media Center (CCMC) in the Nicosia buffer zone and heard presentations on the Centre’s work in facilitating media cooperation by Michalis Simopoulos and on the United Nations’ Peacekeeping Forces interaction with local media by UNFICYP spokesperson Rolando Gomez.
Apart from the capacity building and training components of the visit, the workshop put also particular focus on providing space for participants to exchange experiences, discuss and network with each other. For this purpose, the project team organized joint visits to historically interesting sites such as the towns of Famagusta, Nicosia and Kyrenia/Girne, a movie screening and subsequent discussion, and a farewell dinner with participants, trainers, experts, organizers and facilitators from Eastern Mediterranean University.
