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Workshop in Berlin. Reporting Conflict and Crisis – an international exchange

In many OSCE-participating states conflict and crisis hamper and endanger an independant, accurate and objective journalism. Sometimes journalism even tends to sharpen conflicts. It´s difficult to recognize propaganda, hate-speech and different interests of conflict-parties. In addition the personal and digital security of journalists often is threatened.

These problems will be the main focus of the journalism Seminar of taz panter foundation, Reporters Without Borders and German Federal Foreign Office. 14 journalists from OSCE-participating states, especially from Central Asia, Middle and Eastern Europe and Russia will be invited to come to Berlin 29 May to 5 June 2016 to exchange their experience, discuss these issues and more.

The participants will meet journalists, politicians, public stakeholders and experts for international election observation. They will visit the German parliament. In the Federal Foreign Office they will meet representatives of the taskforce for the German OSCE-presidency 2016. They will learn about the German media landscape and exercise some techniques of conflict sensitive journalism. Participants will learn how to upgrade their personal and digital security.

In many OSCE-participating states conflict and crisis hamper and endanger an independant, accurate and objective journalism. Sometimes journalism even tends to sharpen conflicts. It´s difficult to recognize propaganda, hate-speech and different interests of conflict-parties. In addition the personal and digital security of journalists often is threatened.

These problems will be the main focus of the journalism Seminar of taz panter foundation, Reporters Without Borders and German Federal Foreign Office. 14 journalists from OSCE-participating states, especially from Central Asia, Middle and Eastern Europe and Russia will be invited to come to Berlin 29 May to 5 June 2016 to exchange their experience, discuss these issues and more.

The participants will meet journalists, politicians, public stakeholders and experts for international election observation. They will visit the German parliament. In the Federal Foreign Office they will meet representatives of the taskforce for the German OSCE-presidency 2016. They will learn about the German media landscape and exercise some techniques of conflict sensitive journalism. Participants will learn how to upgrade their personal and digital security.

During the stay in Berlin participants are expected to finalize an article covering a topic in the context of the seminar. Ideas and research should be presented in the beginning of the workshop.

The taz panter foundation is focused on training for journalists. This foundation is closely linked to „taz.die tageszeitung“, an independent daily  German newspaper (www.taz.de).

Further information
Expenses including travel costs, hotel-accommodation in bedrooms shared by 2-3 persons and meals will be paid by the German Federal Foreign Office;
pocket-money not included

Requirement for participation
*Journalistic experience for at least 2 years in print-, online-, radio- or TV-outlets or as blogger.
*Working knowledge of Russian and at least very good understanding of English language
*No former participation in workshops of taz panter foundation or Deutsche Welle
*Valid travel documents for applying a visa

Application – not later than 29 February 2016
Journalists interested send 2 documents, both in Russian and English:
*a CV including work experience and knowledge of language
*a motivation statement for participation including your idea for a story and the research
*mail addresses of two journalistic reference persons to be contacted by the taz panter foundation.

Russian version is to be sent to [email protected] and [email protected]
English version is to be sent to [email protected]

The workshop will be organized by the journalists Barbara Oertel (taz) and Petra Bornhöft (taz panter foundation).

Source: taz panter foundation