The First Conference of Professional Journalism was held in Baghdad on Friday under the auspices of the Network of Iraqi Reporters for Investigative Journalism (NIRIJ). It was devoted to discussing the reality of the Iraqi press and its problems and ways to overcome the challenges faced by Iraqi journalists to provide a deep and professional professional press, to provide a profound and effective professional journalism , In a diverse national, religious and cultural society.
The number of participants in the next session of the conference is expected to double and, with the support of local partners, will become an annual forum for professional journalists in Iraq, bringing together well-known journalists from around the world.
“The network, after the success of the first conference of professional journalism, plans, through partnerships with local institutions, to transform the conference into an annual forum for professional journalists and expand its participation to include Arab and international journalists , and to become a workshop to train Iraqi journalists who seek to acquire the best foundations and skills of journalism “ the executive director of the Network of Iraqi Reporters for Investigative Journalism Saman Noah said.
The conference, entitled “Professional Journalism, Challenges and Development”, was held with the support of the International Media Support Organization (IMS) for the period 20-21 December, with the participation of its partners in Iraq, which included plenary sessions and dialogues attended by more than 33 prominent journalists, journalists and academics Media workers in Iraq, as well as three training workshops, an award for investigative arts, reports and writing press stories.
The speakers presented papers about the reality of the Iraqi press and its problems and ways to overcome the challenges faced by Iraqi journalists to provide a deep and professional professional press, to provide a profound and effective professional journalism , In a diverse national, religious and cultural society.
As well as the speakers discussed the challenges of competition, funding, weakness and scarcity of news satellites, union frameworks, political and social conflict, fake and fraud news, social media and electronic armies, the challenges of a complex and dangerous work environment, and legal challenges, Along with the challenges of writing about ingredients and hate speech in a multi-ethnic society.
The conference included an open dialogue session, in the presence of writers and journalists from various components, on the reality of the media and its coverage of the Iraqi components’ issues, and its role in maintaining civil peace, after the ISIS war repercussions, and a discussion session on the reality of media colleges and ways to develop the performance of its students to be a producer of press materials.
The conference concluded by announcing the results of its awards for best investigative investigations, press stories and press reports.
NIRIJ will collect the presented papers and highlight the interventions in a book, so that the discussions and outputs of the conference will be available to Iraqi journalists and organizations concerned with developing the reality of the media in Iraq.
Below is a list of conference participants:
Qassim Al-Sanjari / Al-Ghad Press / news agencies highlighted the problems, challenge the competition.
Mushreq Abbas / NAS Director/ The funding challenge that hinders the existence of free professional information
Muntader Naser/ Editor-in-Chief of the New World newspaper / Funding Challenge that threatens the future media.
Hashem Hassan / Dean of the Faculty of Information, University of Baghdad/ The challenges faced by the media colleges to develop the potential of their students.
Muhsin Kashkol/ Iraqi University/ The challenges faced by the media colleges to develop the potential of their students.
Yasin Taha, former director of NRT/ The TV challenges – the weakness and scarcity of satellite news.
Yasser Al-Salem / the National Union of Journalists/ Unions challenges, the reality of administrative frameworks and the development of journalism.
Zuhair al-Jazaeri is a journalist and former editor of several media organizations/ Political and social reality – an impact on the press work.
Husain Ali Dawood/ Fake and distorted news – effects and solutions.
Mazen al-Zaidi / journalist and former editor-in-chief/ social Media and electronic armies – effects and solutions.
Saleh Elias / journalist and director of Alminasa platform and Qantara Forum/ The Challenges of a Complex and Dangerous Work Environment – Mosul, How can it be addressed?
Delovan Berwari / Director of the Network of Lawyers for the Defense of Freedom of Expression/ Legal challenges, right to get information
Faleh Hadi / Iraqi Media Network / Media Network, challenges of producing reports and documentaries.
Saad Salloum / Masarat Foundation, writer and expert on minority affairs/ The challenges of writing about components in a multi-ethnic society.
Khadr ALdomli / journalist and trainer in the affairs of minorities and civil peacekeeping/ challenges of writing about the components, the reality of the Kurdistan region.
Mustafa Hussein / Iraqi Media House/ Hate speech in a diverse ethnic society- reality and solutions.
Ja’far al-Talafari / Turkmen journalist / Did the media succeed in covering Turkmen issues? Complex challenges.
Leith Benjamin / Christian journalist / Did the media succeed in covering the issues of the Christian component?
Haval Zakhwee/ Kurdish journalist and editor of Sabah newspaper/ Does the press in Kurdistan reflect the reality of national and religious diversity?
Omar Al-Shaher / journalist and activist in writing about hot spots issues/ Personal experience, and recommendations for professional writing.
Kamal Alayash/ Investigative journalist/ Personal experience, and recommendations for professional writing.
Osama Al-Habahbeh/ Director of Iraq Program at IMS / media coverage of component issues, and its role in maintaining civil peace in a diverse society.
Aman Noah/ NIRIJ/ Challenges to professional media.
Irada Al-Jubouri/ How can universities be productive of professional and influential journalistic materials?
Khalil Fakhir / Supervisor of Al-Sahafa newspaper/ Production of press materials by students
Sahar Khalifa/ How can students’ abilities be developed in media colleges?
Fadel Al-Badrani / Supervisor of Al-Khabar Newspaper/ Universities and development of students’ abilities
Basem Francis / Christian journalist / paper on the reality of Syriac media.
Ahmed Kutawi / journalist and activist interested in minority issues.
Rahman Gharib / Kurdish journalist and director of Metro Center.
Mahmoud al-Mandil, editor-in-chief of the point light agency on minorities
In addition to the keynote speakers, many journalists, academics and activists contributed to enriching the papers presented and the insights presented through their interventions and observations.
The sessions and dialogues were moderated by:
Irada Al-Jubouri / Media Faculty -University of Baghdad
Dana Assaad, journalist, trainer and director of MICT
Mustafa Nasser / Center diversity
Boshra Hamdani / Media Faculty-Iraqi University
Thikra Sarsem / Babil Tower Organization
Sarsem / Organization of the Tower of Babel
