Doha Centre for Media Freedom (DCMF) is sending three Qatari journalists to participate in the upcoming “Oil, Gas and Media” conference to be held from 17 to 19 September 2012 in Baku, Azerbaijan. This is in line with the centre’s mission to promote and train the local media.
The three Qatari journalists are a part of a delegation that will represent Qatar at the conference organised by the International Press Institute (IPI).
“This step translates the goals of our centre which aims, among other things, to support local media and improve its performance. It also reflects the centre’s firm belief that in order to achieve these goals we have to be fully aware of the link between new media and freedom of press and expression,” said DCMF Director Jan Keulen in a meeting held at the centre to introduce the three journalists to its senior staff.
The five-member delegation will leave Doha on 16 September and will be headed by Keulen. Joining Keulen will be Kavy Akrawi,Senior International Outreach Coordinator; Tagreed Sleiman, journalist at Al Sharq newspaper; Yususf Hasan Seid, journalist at Qatar News Agency and Hamad Salem Mjeegar, from Rayyan television.
Keulen noted that this is not the first time for the centre to be a part of such an initiative as it had sent local bloggers to participate at the 2012 UNESCO World Press Freedom Day in Tunisia this year.
Keulen stressed the need to provide more travel opportunities and encourage local journalists to participate at various conferences as it would promote exchange of information and expertise.
Journalist Sleiman thanked DCMF and IPI for allowing her to take part in the forthcoming conference, highlighting its significance as Qatar is a major global player in the energy industry.
“This conference is a real opportunity for us to inform foreign journalists about the situation in Qatar and to learn from them as well,” affirmed Tagreed who expressed her appreciation of the agenda of the conference which features leading figures in oil sector.
Baku “Oil, Gas and Media” conference is an international high-profile gathering which brings together media experts and key players in gas and oil sector to discuss various important issues, including the relationship between media and energy industry.
The conference also aims to promote a better and more accurate understanding of the overlap between media freedom and energy industry and to allow participants to exchange views and flesh out new ways to strengthen the relation between media and energy sectors.
