Embassies Abu Dhabi and Baghdad Join Forces to Train

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 003583

SIPDIS

STATE FOR IRAQ/PPD; NEA/PPD; NEA/ARP; ECA; IIP/G/NEA;
IIP/G/IR

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO TC OIIP KIRC

SUBJECT: Embassies Abu Dhabi and Baghdad Join Forces to Train
Iraqi Journalists on Effective Use of the Internet, September
25th to 30th, 2004.

REF: ABU DHABI 2895


1. Summary: Embassy Abu Dhabi's Public Affairs Section combined
forces with Embassy Baghdad to host 10 Iraqi journalists, (8 men
& 2 women) in a workshop entitled Effective Use of the Internet
for Journalists, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, September
25th to 30th, 2004. Embassy Baghdad Public Affairs Section
selected journalists from Baghdad, Basra, Hilla, Mosul, and
Kirkuk, all of whom were senior editors, writers, and television
producers. Information Resource Center Director, and former
Fulbrighter, Helmi Noman and Information Resource Officer Henry
Mendelsohn led the workshop. It focused on effective use of the
Internet and covered topics such as smarter surfing, how to find
USG information, evaluating web sites, legal and copyright
issues, and blogging. By the end of the workshop each
participant had self-published on the 'net. The participants
visited several UAE media organizations and made many local
contacts.

Digital Video Conferences Showcase Technology and Bring Officials
Into the Classroom:


2. In addition to the skills training the workshop included two
Digital Video Conferences. The first featured Deputy
Spokesperson Adam Ereli who spoke in Arabic about responsible
reporting, and gave an on the record interview. In the second,
Mofid Deak, a senior Bureau of International Information Programs
writer/editor, spoke in Arabic about how the State Department
publishes electronically official policy texts and speeches, and
works to ensure accuracy and authority.

Networking Benefits Local Media as well as Iraqi Participants


3. The Iraqis also met with major media organizations in Abu
Dhabi and Dubai including the Emirates News Agency, the official
news agency of the UAE, Al Ittihad newspaper, Al Arabiya TV,
Dubai TV, and the Dubai Press Club. They met with section heads
who explained how media organizations operate and establish
editorial policies, and also discussed operational issues. This
gave them an opportunity to network with UAE based news directors
who asked the Iraqis if they were willing to report stories from
Iraq in order to improve reporting because often non-Iraqi
reporters are unable to gain access to dangerous locations.

Both sides discussed the need for balanced reporting and the
Iraqis were quick to point out that much of the reporting done in
Iraq by Arab media organizations was biased and did not reflect
ground realities, nor the progress that was being accomplished in
Iraq by both coalition forces and the Iraqi government. They
provided many specific examples of inaccurate reporting by Arab
media organizations.

Small Focused Programs Yield Many Results


4. Result: Al Arabiya offered to host the Iraqis for free
internships in the future.


5. Result: The Dubai Press Club, the most developed press club in
the Middle East, invited the Iraqis to become members and
welcomed them to use the press club on return visits. Membership
in the press club also entitles them to use constituent press
clubs including the National Press Club in Washington.


6. Result: Press Placement: The program was extensively covered
in the UAE press with coverage appearing in Arabic dailies Al
Ittihad, (cir.: 85,000) Al Bayan, (cir.: 40,000) and Akhbar al
Arab, (cir.: 20,000.) The participants published stories in Iraq
upon their return.


7. Result: Blogging: One participant developed his own blog web
site upon returning to Iraq, http://alaaghazala.blogs.com/.

Heartfelt Gratitude


8. The same participant emailed U.S. Ambassador to the UAE
Michele J. Sison to say: "Dear Ambassador: It is my great honor
to present my deepest regards to you, and to the UAE Embassy
staff, for your generous and kindness for us during the training
course on Internet last week. It was a wonderful opportunity to
me and to other Iraqi journalists to take the lessons and then
visit media institutions in Abu-Dhabi and Dubai. This experience
was very useful to me in opening new horizons. May God keep you
safe! . Hope to see you again one day. Ala'a K. Ghazala, Iraqi
Journalist, Babil."


9. Another participant emailed to say: "Dear Helmi: Thank you
very much indeed for everything you have done for us. Your
patience & knowledge will be kept deeply in our mind and
thoughts. We are back home safe. I'll keep in contact. Please
convey my regards for everybody. Regards, Adil Hameed."

Integrating Iraqi Journalists into the Larger Middle East


10. Conclusion: Post believes small, focused, cost-effective
programs like this help to integrate Iraqi journalists into the
larger Middle East, and that bringing them to the UAE is
particularly important because it demonstrates a Middle East
country that works, has a mobile and international corps of
Arabic and English-speaking journalists, and has successfully
developed a vibrant and relatively open press.

The importance of this type of training cannot be over stated.
Information and communications literacy training empowers those
who receive it and the less access the participants have to state
of the art training the more they appreciate it. Internet
accessibility in Iraq is neither widespread nor affordable for
most. State of the art training for specific user groups on how
to use Internet effectively in Arabic is even more rare. Such
training generates an enormous amount of good will and
establishes partnerships with participants and employers of the
participants. Post thanks Embassy Baghdad and Iraq Public
Diplomacy for enabling a successful program. .

SISON