In the summer of 2025, the Berlin Journalism School (BJS), with the support of the Federal Foreign Office of Germany, launched a training program bringing together participants from Armenia, Georgia, and Moldova. In Armenia, the local partner was the “Journalists for the Future” NGO (JFF).
The program aimed to strengthen participants’ ability to identify disinformation campaigns, analyze them, and develop effective public awareness mechanisms – particularly through education and outreach initiatives implemented in their home countries.
Berlin Phase: Knowledge, Experience, and International Cooperation
Six journalists from Armenia were selected to take part in the August training in Berlin, representing Azatutyun, Ampop.am, FIP.am, Hetq, EVN Report, and Media.am.
On the first day, participants were introduced to the ways disinformation and propaganda flows spread across Germany and several EU countries, as well as in Moldova, Georgia, and Armenia. The representative of JFF presented an overview of Armenia’s information landscape, highlighting the key risks and trends in the spread of disinformation—an input that sparked significant interest among both participants and invited experts.
Throughout the Berlin program, journalists and civil society representatives from the three participating countries met with leading German and European experts, visited media organizations, communication agencies, and international NGOs.
After returning from Berlin, the journalists produced and published articles, investigative pieces, and podcasts.
Armenia Phase: Regional Seminars for Youth and CSOs
The next phase of the program took place in Armenia from October 28 to November 15, 2025, coinciding with Media Literacy Week held annually in Armenia. JFF organized a series of trainings with the direct participation of journalists who had taken part in the Berlin workshop.
Trainings were held in Yerevan, Charentsavan, Vagharshapat, and Armavir for young people aged 16–25, civil society representatives, local activists, and community-engaged citizens. In total, the four sessions brought together around 90 participants.
During the one-day intensive workshops, participants learned practical methods for identifying disinformation and manipulation, explored fact-checking and digital security tools, examined media bias and emotional manipulation techniques, and completed team-based exercises.
The goal of these trainings was to foster critical thinking among young people and equip them with the skills to responsibly and critically navigate the information environment within their own communities.
Thanks to the joint work of JFF and international partners, regional cooperation in combating disinformation was strengthened, a new network of young professionals was formed, and awareness of media literacy and digital security increased across regional communities.
Journalists for the Future (JFF) will continue its mission to promote impartial public awareness, advance media education, and strengthen democratic resilience in Armenia.
JFF