Media for Peace Project

Series of workshops, seminars and qualifications designed to encourage responsible reporting on conflicts by journalists from Colombia and around the world.

Description

The Media for Peace (Medios para la Paz) Project works along three fields: Information, Training and Investigation. It has carried out 73 workshops providing information about the conflict and sensitising journalists on the key issues, reaching almost 2000 journalists from 841 institutions.

In August 2001 they held a national seminar in Bogotá, attended by 1,138 journalists, students and media professors from 603 different media institutions and universities. They also launched a diploma course in “Responsible Journalism in Armed Conflict” in Medellin with the help of the Javariana University and Zlatko Dizdarevic, the conflict's most eminent journalist. The diploma was also taught in Cali in 2003, Barancabermeja in 2004, and Bogotá in 2005.

Media for Peace expanded into new investigative and academic terrain in 2003 with a new course entitled “The role of the media in the prevention of conflict and peacebuilding”. It consisted of 56 hours of theory and 120 hours of practice, and took place at the UN University for Peace, Costa Rica.

In April 2005 they conducted their first International Seminar, which was on the “Media and processes of reconciliation – Latin American Perspectives”. It was attended by journalists, analysts and experts on conflict and post-conflict situations from El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela and Colombia. The seminar took place in Caracas, Venezuela.

Aims / Objectives

The work aims to influence a new generation of politicians and journalists dealing with pre-conflict, conflict and post-conflict situations. The objective is to create peace through a more responsible journalism that is sensitive, honest and dynamic, with an understanding of the history of the country, the armed actors and the victims. Through this, journalists can recognise and transmit individual voices and messages, and be rigorous in their attempts to find and verify information. This type of journalism can transform the imagery of violence, promote peace and even encourage social justice.

How it is Articulated

Through workshops, courses and seminars.

Achievements / Learning Points

Media for Peace have noted an improvement in the quality of media information as a result of their work.

Achievements / Learning Points

Offices are in Bogotá but they work on a national level and have organised workshops in 28 different municipalities.

Funding resources

Private donations, and help from organisations such as: Programa por la Paz, Fondo de Paz, Fundación Social, Fundación Suramericana de Seguros, Instituto de Estudios Políticos y Relaciones Internacionales de la Universidad Nacional -, IEPRI-, Consejería de Paz, Industrias Zenú, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bancolombia, Fundación Éxito, Industrias Noel, Corfinsura, Intercor, Broederlijk Delen (Belgium), Konrad Adenauer Foundation (Germany), International Organisation for Imigration (IOM), UNHCR, UN University for Peace (Costa Rica), Peacefund (Canada), Fondo de Iniciativas Locales para Colombia (Canada), International Media Support (Denmark), Philip Morris, Diplomatic representatives from the USA and Germany, Reportere without Borders (Sweden) and the National Endowment for Democracy -NED- (USA) among others.