UNESCO and Young Journalists: From Training Halls to Newsrooms... New Media Partnerships to Promote Social Cohesion in Iraq
Baghdad / NINA / — The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is expanding its partnerships with Iraqi media institutions as part of its “Strengthening Social Cohesion and Reintegration in Iraq” project, aimed at providing practical professional training opportunities for young journalists and strengthening the role of the media in promoting social peace and combating hate speech and misinformation.
Dhiaa Thabet, Head of the Communication and Information Sector at the UNESCO Iraq Office, accompanied by the team supporting journalists, conducted a field visit to a number of media institutions in Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region to discuss mechanisms for cooperation and opportunities to host young male and female journalists participating in a four-month professional training program supported by UNESCO.
The meetings focused on establishing a practical training environment in which participants can gain firsthand experience in newsrooms, become familiar with professional journalistic practices, and develop skills in television production, editing, and the use of modern digital technologies in content creation.
The program seeks to strengthen participants’ professional capabilities and enable them to produce responsible media content that promotes social cohesion, diversity, peaceful coexistence, and mutual understanding.
The field tour included several media institutions in Sulaimaniyah and Baghdad, including Channel 8 in Sulaimaniyah, where discussions were held on opportunities to host young journalists and integrate them into the daily media work environment. Such placements would provide participants with direct professional experience while allowing them to benefit from the expertise of experienced journalists, editors, and media professionals.
In Baghdad, UNESCO also coordinated with the Iraqi Media Network and a number of other media institutions with the aim of establishing a network of host organizations capable of providing practical training, professional mentoring, and guidance throughout the program.
Through this initiative, UNESCO seeks to move media training beyond theoretical learning toward practical application by giving young journalists the opportunity to work alongside experienced professionals in established media organizations. The initiative is expected to contribute to developing a new generation of media professionals equipped to address issues related to social cohesion, reintegration, misinformation, and hate speech with professionalism and responsibility.
The program places particular emphasis on expanding opportunities for young people, including young female journalists and groups that remain underrepresented in the media sector. By providing practical work experience, the initiative aims to help participants develop their professional portfolios and improve their prospects for entering and integrating into the media labor market.
During its meetings with media organizations, UNESCO underscored the importance of building strong partnerships with the media sector to ensure the success of the program and translate the skills acquired by participants into sustainable professional practices. UNESCO also highlighted the important role media organizations can play in building public trust, promoting social peace, and encouraging responsible and constructive public discourse.
The field tour marks a preparatory step toward the implementation phase of the program, which will involve selecting a group of young journalists and placing them in participating media organizations in Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region. UNESCO and its partners will provide regular follow-up, mentoring, and professional guidance throughout the four-month training period. /End
