Date: 30 September 2013
Country: Russia, Sochi
The Media Diversity Institute’s project for Russia has been launched at the 17th Festival of Journalists in Sochi, “All Russia”. Festival was organized by the Russian Union of Journalists (RUJ), MDI’s local partner in the project “Fighting Discrimination through Tolerant and Inclusive Reporting”.
The purpose of this project is to contribute to a greater freedom of expression representing all viewpoints in Russian society. One of the purposes is to promote equality and to fight discrimination by equipping journalists with the skills to report responsibly. Presenting a new project to Russian journalists, MDI’s Executive Director Milica Pesic invited her colleagues to discuss issues and challenges of today’s media.
Festival in Sochi was the opportunity for MDI, not only to formally launch new project with its partners in Russia, but to observe and to participate in discussions about Russian media and issues they are facing.
MDI’s Executive Director was one of the guest speakers at the roundtable in Sochi debating the protection of journalists’ interests and the future of the profession.
The participants of this international event were the president of International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) Jim Boumelha, director of the Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the media Andrei Richter, a spokesman for the Association of Swedish journalists Hostad Dees, director of the French Center in Moscow Helen Mel, director of the Center for Media Rights Galina Arapova and others.