Shukriya, Lahore! After three inspiring days with great people in Pakistan’s second largest city, I am excited about new knowledge, new colleagues and friends. 

Atta Ansari from the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) and I, Olga Stokke from Aftenposten national newspaper, had the opportunity to attend a three day seminar in Lahore Nov 9-11 2021. 

The topic: “Journalism for Peace, Counter Violent Extremism among Youth, and International Reporting”, organized by Journalism & Media International Center (JMIC) at Oslo Metropolitan University in collaboration with Forman Christian College University (FCCU). 

The seminar was opened and hosted by Dr Altaf Ullah Khan, Professor and Dean of Humanities at FCC. He opened the ball by talking about populist politics and media in Pakistan. He then gave the microphone to a range of powerful speakers who delivered insightful and refreshing presentations on vital and relevant topics such as: 

Freedom of expression under authoritarian regimes, Journalism in Pakistan and the digital media evolution. The gap between theory and practice when it comes to legal structure for free expression. The audience was given a perspective from the Pakistani Constitution. 

The concept of Peace Journalism was highlighted by several: How to perceive Johan Galtung’s “theory” on covering wars and conflicts? Also Atta and Olga had a joint presentation on theory and practice of Peace Journalism within the context of Johan Galtung. 

We introduced the participants to Norwegian press laws and ethics. Quite a few were taken by surprise that Norwegian journalists can write almost “everything” without being censored, or without censoring themselves. Norwegian journalists certainly enjoy freedom of press to a larger extent than the majority of press people in the world. 

We stressed that though Galtung’s “theory” is not very present in our approach, his parameters are nonetheless implemented in our reporting. Our notion of sincere journalism is that war and conflict reporting on a global level do not differ from reporting on a local level. The same demands to ethical reporting applies: Try to disclose and understand the underlying reasons of the conflict. Report respectfully about “the other” even though you cannot see the face of the other. Be concerned about the context, the terms for talking to people – and who to interview. Professors Elisabeth Eide and Rune Ottosen have also written a lot about Peace Journalism and about «how to report the other».

Not least important is the new generation of journalists. How to empower them – through critical spaces? This topic was not least addressed by Dr. Altaf Khan. 

There are challenges ahead, but the good news is that there are so many young talented, dedicated, serious and curious aspiring journalists. They can make a big difference in our societies. Stay curious and brave! And safe.

Elisabeth Eide takes part in a workshop on Climate change communication and the IPCC Live Stream at the climate summit  COP 26 in Glasgow in Scotland Friday 5 Novemberat 1430 – 16 GMT. 

MediaClimate presents one of the articles by Eide & Kunelius in a Special Issue of Climatic Change.

You can follow the transmission here: https://apps.ipcc.ch/outreach/programme.php?q=9&e=1

More information here: http://mediaclimate.net 

The new Norwegian Foreign Minister, Anniken Huitfeldt, came to OsloMet Monday 1 November to open a seminar about journalists and journalism in exile together with OsloMet Rector, Nina Waaler. 

What happens when journalists have to leave their country in large numbers and the survival of journalism is threatened? In 2021, this has already happened in Afghanistan and Myanmar/Burma, two countries where the space for journalism is shrinking. 

Journalists with field experiences and international experts shared their experiences and viewpoints: Agnes Callamard, Secretary General, Amnesty International pointed at general world trends regarding safety for journalists in her keynote on zoom. 

Najiba Ayubi, Head of the media house  Killid and International Association of Women in Radio and Television (IAWRT) in Afghanistan told about her flight in a recorded video message from a refugee camp in USA. Dr. Samay Hamed, Head of Afghan PEN and journalist Afshin Ismaeli in Aftenposten discussed the situation in Afghanistan with moderator Elisabeth Eide.

Dr. Ma Thida, chair of Writer in Prison Committee of PEN International was on zoom to tell about her views on the situation in her home country. Thida Thin Myat Thu, Program Director, Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) shared her very strong personal story about when she had to leave the country. Aye Chan Naing, Executive Director/Chief Editor in DVB told about running a media house in exile. 

Jesper Højberg, Executive Director, International Media Support (IMS) emphasized how his organization always work with local journalists on the ground in the countries where they are engaged, for example in Afghanistan and Burma/Myanmar. 

The seminar was streamed on Youtube and Facebook:

Youtube live:https://youtu.be/pBE32PtKSgo

FB live:https://fb.watch/924q6VT_qL/

The Datamation Foundation Trust, India, in partnership with UN agencies and other Civil Society organizations are pleased to host one day International Webinar Conference in New Delhi, India to deliberate contemporary issues around two main themes: Media and Climate Crisis: Women and Youth Perspectives with the support of JMIC Monday 25 October 2021.  

Climate Change is a major threat to life on the planet; now is the time to ACT. International legacy media as well as social media channels have heightened their attention to the Climate Crisis, not least pressurized by tens of thousands of young activists across the world and their promotion of Climate Action.

The webinar will further strengthen a Gender perspective on the Climate Crisis, since women have not only been most impacted; but have also emerged as the most vociferous and active advocates of Climate Action.  Furthermore, the webinar will address the role of young leaders, stirring mass actions such as Fridays for Future (FFF), who have entered the media scene powerfully with their demands for a safe future.

More information: International Webinar: Media and Climate Crisis: Women and Youth Perspectives. MONDAY October 25, 2021, 2pm ECT/ 530pm Indian time – MediaClimate 

What happens when journalists have to leave their country in large numbers and the survival of journalism is threatened?

In 2021, this has already happened in Afghanistan and Myanmar/Burma, two countries where the space for journalism is shrinking.

Journalists with field experiences and international experts will share their experiences and viewpoints.

TENTATIVE PROGRAM:

Moderator Elisabeth Eide

Opening by the Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Anniken Huitfeldt and OsloMet Rector, Nina Waaler 

Agnes Callamard, Secretary General, Amnesty International

Najiba Ayubi, Head of the media house  Killid and International Association of Women in Radio and Television (IAWRT) in Afghanistan 

Dr. Samay Hamed, Head of Afghan PEN

Afshin Ismaeli, journalist, Aftenposten 

Thida Thin Myat Thu, Program Director, Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB)

Dr. Ma Thida, chair of Writer in Prison Committee of PEN International 

Jesper Højberg, Executive Director, International Media Support(IMS)

Monday 1 November 2021 at 2 – 330 pm

OsloMet Pilestredet 52 (P 52) Studenthallen

https://www.oslomet.no/en/about/events/protection-journalists-afghanistan-burma-myanmar

Seven recommendation were the result of an event at An-Najah National University in Nablus in Palestine September 29^th2021:  The Right to Know: Building Back Better with Right to Information. 

The Department of Communication and Digital Media at An-Najah National University organized the event at the University Campus in cooperation with UNESCO and JMIC.

The aim was to commemorate the International Day of Access to Information, celebrated by UNESCO and partner institutions in the world every year 28 September. 

The event included three sessions with the Vice President of An-Najah University, Dr. Abdul Salam Al-Khayat, Director of the UNESCO Office Representative of UNESCO in Palestine, Ms. Noha Bawazeer, Deputy Representative of Norway in Palestine, Mr. Erling Hoem, and the representative of the Palestinian Ministry of Information, Mr. Nasser Jawabreh, and the representative of the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, journalist Jaafar Shtayyeh. 

The second and third sessions hosted a number of academics in the field of media from various Palestinian universities and a number of journalists: Mr. Ayman Al-Masry from An-Najah National University, Mr. Amin Abu Warda, Director of Asda’a Press Office, and Mr. Salah Abu Hassan from Hebron University Ms. Hanadi Dwaikat from the Arab American University, journalist Ali Daraghmeh, editor-in-chief of Madar News Agency and Mr. Saleh Musharaka from Birzeit University.

At the end of the event, the speakers came up with the following recommendations:

1. Establishing mechanisms to communicate with the Council of Ministers about the outcomes of the event, and working on issuing a law on the Right of Access to Information.
2. Inclusion of the concept of the Right of Access to Information within the educational curricula of media faculties in Palestinian universities, and in media education programs at schools, and striving for the right to obtain information to be a culture in the society. 
3.  Develop clear protocols for the relationship between media institutions on the one hand, and between community institutions and ministries on the other hand, to regulate the process of information flow, ensure its access to the public, and prevent the monopoly of information, in a way that guarantees the public’s right to benefit from information, and achieves the principle of transparency, integrity and accountability.
4. Strengthening the relationship between media colleges and journalists, linking the educational process to the reality of journalism to enhance the concept of the Right of Access to Information among future journalists, and enhancing cooperation between academics and journalists in this field. 
5. Establish mechanisms to continue efforts to issue the law of the Right of Access to Information, so that these efforts do not remain seasonal.
6.  Emphasizing that the Right of Access to Information goes beyond legal texts to include ethical aspects by instilling a culture of the citizen’s right to obtain information that contributes to the process of sustainable development and achieving freedom, prosperity and democracy.
7.  Organizing training workshops for students of the media and related sectors on the right of access to information, to deepen understanding in this field, and to open up broader horizons for translating this right on the ground.

Today, 28 September, is the international day for universal access to information https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/accesstoinformationday

UNESCO has organized events around the world https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/accesstoinformationday/2021/aroundtheworld

and many webinars https://en.unesco.org/sites/default/files/iduai_2021_programme.pdf

Some of JMICs partners have been asked to contribute with testimonies from Palestine and Uganda:

Here is the link: https://we.tl/t-T8iV1hFYFH

The worldknown Bangladeshi photographer Sarker Protick held a digital two day workshop 16 and 17 September 2021. 

15 participants were recruited by Pathshala South Asian Media Institute in Bangladesh, photo.circle in Nepal and the photojournalism department at OsloMet for “Platform for Photojournalists” https://www.photojournalistplatform.com. 

The storytelling webinar was designed for students and aspiring professionals working to produce in-depth visual stories. 

Working with photography, video and sound, Protick is interested in themes such as alteration of land and border, colonial relics and modern ecological emergencies.

He is the recipient of Joop Swart Masterclass, Magnum Foundation Fund and World Press Photo Award, for example, and has exhibited in museums, galleries and festivals all over the world. 

As a faculty member of Pathshala South Asian Media Institute he has also been part of the cooperation with OsloMet for many years.

On September 24th Global Risk Journalism Hub, OsloMet, and JMIC will produce a digital seminar on how to practice journalism and particularly podcasts during global crises. By introducing international journalists and media producers we ask whether global crises can bring creative media producers together through their work.

Jordan Gass-Pooré (CNN), Jo Healey (BBC), Craig Templeton (The Guardian Masterclass), and Aryana Noorozi (Pulitzer Prize Fellow) come together to offer practical approaches of how to produce journalism or media content during Covid-19 but also crises beyond the pandemic. Mentorship for producers, visual storytelling, podcasting on a global scale, and interviewing during traumatic events, are all topics that will be discussed.

The goal of this seminar is to connect both students and academics digitally on a global scale. The seminar calls for more interdisciplinary in journalism and beyond the newsroom. 

The seminar will be hosted by OsloMet students and Global Risk Journalism podcasters Åsta Marie Berg Sander, Thomas Johnstone and Stine Førland. Associate Professor at OsloMet, Maria Konow Lund is both the instigator of the seminar and its producer. 

Time: 24.September 2021, 12.00 (GMT+1)
Will be streamed on Youtube