Kosovo journalists study visit to Northern Ireland kicks off
A group of 10 journalists from different ethnic communities in Kosovo, kicked off a 4 day study visit to Northern Ireland.
The visit to Belfast started with engaging presentations by Prof. Steven Youngblood, Xhemajl Rexha from AJK, and Allan Leonard from SharedFuture News. Prof. Youngblood introduced the principles of Peace Journalism, highlighting its role in promoting balanced and responsible reporting in post-conflict areas.
Rexha during his session talked about the impressions of the Kosovo visit by the Northern Ireland delegation, and the expectations of Kosovo journalists of the Belfast and Derry visits, by seeing and listening to firsthand testimonies on how the conflict has shaped media and journalism. In Leonard’s session, we watched a powerful video about the 30-year conflict in Northern Ireland, which led to a meaningful discussion about the region's history.
Following our study visit to Kosovo, this week we will further explore the connections between Northern Ireland and Kosovo with a focus on Peace Journalism. Additionally, the group of journalists had the opportunity to go sightseeing, use the bikes provided by our fellow journalists, and visit local landmarks. Lord Mayor of Belfast, Micky Murray gave the group a tour of Belfast City Hall and presented the journalists with the work they do.
The Peace Journalism Project is funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development through the British Embassy in Prishtina.
