Enabled through UNESCO’s Regional Programmes that promote an enabling environment for freedom of expression, thirty Libyan journalists currently residing in Tunisia have just started an intensive communication and English skills training course at the British Council in Tunis to build their speaking and writing skills.
Lasting nine weeks until end April 2015, the course will create a cadre of journalists equipped with additional communication and writing skills that will allow them to further develop their professional expertise and broadly expand their audience and sourcing.
The idea for the initiative follows a direct request of the Libyan journalists based in Tunis who believe their ability to express themselves effectively during meetings and workshops outside of Libya are compromised by limited English language skills.
Further, the journalists indicated that they are keen to better understand and source what foreign media is communicating about the situation in Libya.
This activity is implemented by the UNESCO Libya Office in partnership with the British Council and made possible through the generous support of the Government of Sweden. It is part of UNESCO’s efforts within the media sector to reinforce the capacity of Libyan media to make a positive contribution to reconciliation in Libyan and to promote conflict-sensitive reporting.
As the only agency within the United Nations system with the mandate to promote freedom of expression and freedom of the press, UNESCO works in cooperation with Libyan stakeholders and actors across the various UN agencies, and leading global and regional NGOs promoting press freedom and freedom of expression.
For more information please contact: Raja’a El Abassi, Programme Officer, UNESCO, +216 20 582 788, r.el-abasi@unesco.org
(Source: UNSMIL)
(Journalism image via Shutterstock)
