[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”3px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”-25px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]<\/p>\n
Last week, the 4M Journalism and Social Media Forum came to the South Caucasus. Organised by Canal France International<\/a>\u00a0(CFI), previous 4M\u2019s have been held in Nairobi, Cairo, Abidjan, Belgrade, and Tunis. Earlier this year, I had also been invited to speak at their third annual meeting in Montpellier, France, although an air traffic controller strike meant I arrived a day late and couldn\u2019t.<\/p>\n Regardless, it was then that CFI approached me regarding my involvement in the organisation of the 4M Journalism and Social Media Forum in the South Caucasus. Naturally, as participants would be invited from Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, the event was held in Tbilisi.<\/p>\n Acting in a consultancy capacity and working closely with CFI\u2019s Sophie Le Bars, I drew up much of last week\u2019s programme as well as the list of participants based in the region.\u00a0In total, 22 participants from Armenia, 24 from Azerbaijan, and over 40 from Georgia, along with a dozen international speakers, were invited.<\/p>\n As someone who has attended quite a few media and social media conferences which generally invite the same names year after year, we particularly wanted to strike a balance between established names and newcomers.\u00a0Media specialists in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia \u2014 along with the French Embassies in each \u2014 also suggested a few participants.<\/p>\n And as the event would involve Armenians, Azerbaijanis, and Georgians, as well as international speakers, we also wanted to create an environment for networking and making connections across borders.<\/p>\n Indeed, prior to the main two days of the forum held on the 14-15 November, there was a CFI and BBC Media Action-led ENPI media networking event<\/a> a day before. With speakers focusing on citizen and social media in the context of integrating new sources into mainstream coverage, the afternoon also particularly focused on conflict, an issue of particular relevance in the South Caucasus.<\/p>\n As part of the European Union funded Media Neighbourhood project, a major journalism Networking Event is taking place in Tbilisi, Georgia on November 13th 2013.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Entitled\u00a0Social Media, New and Unchartered Territory for Journalism\u00a0the event will focus on the increasing role of social media in journalism, its limitations and potential as well as examine the issue of journalism ethics in covering conflicts. This event will be followed by a major regional conference organised on November 14th and 15th November 2013 by Canal France International (CFI) who is also part of the BBC Media Action led consortium implementing the Media Neighbourhood project.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Around 70 young online journalists are expected to take part in panel discussions which will be moderated by guest speakers from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, France, Georgia, Lebanon, Tunisia and the United Kingdom.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Jean-Michel Duffr\u00e8ne, Media Neighbourhood Team Leader says:<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018\u2019Networking is an essential part of journalism. Media professionals cannot work, cannot operate in isolation. This is a great opportunity for the media community from various countries to meet, exchange, discuss, debate and compare.\u2019\u2019<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Jonne Catshoek presented Elva<\/a>, a crowd sourcing platform deployed on the South Ossetia ABL, and the Institute of War and Peace Reporting (IWPR) also had representatives from their Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia offices to discuss conflict reporting. Naturally, I presented my own work in this area as it pertained to the use of social media and my Conflict Voices<\/a> project.<\/p>\n Ongoing since 2008, the project has been particularly successful in connecting Armenians and Azerbaijanis online<\/a> as well as disseminating alternative narratives on the Karabakh conflict. Presented at numerous events worldwide, the last two times were for the OSCE in Dublin<\/a> and U.S. State Department in Abu Dhabi<\/a> so it was nice to talk about it again in the South Caucasus.<\/p>\n My presentation slides are below.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_code _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]\n