On July 23 and 24, seminars and solidarity events/discussion of the MCERC project "MediaVoice: media - more freedom and less self-censorship" were held at the Samtskhe-Javakheti Media Center in Borjomi. Journalists, local civil activists and representatives of the non-governmental sector took part in the meetings organized by the Educational and Research Center of Media and Communications (MCERC).
The goal of "MediaVoice" project is to support freedom of speech by strengthening the vitality of the media and creating a favorable media environment. In addition, strengthening the capacity of media workers to combat self-censorship and fear. Topics of the training: Media and self-censorship, freedom of speech, human rights and the media, solidarity journalism.
Trainers and experts of "MediaVoice" are:
Irine Kurdadze, director of the International Law Institute (ILI), professor;
Teona Tskhomelidze, media expert and journalist;
Zura Vardiashvili, editor-in-chief of "Publika", lecturer;
Tamar Aleksidze, expert in the field of international law and lecturer (Institute of International Law).
At the meeting held in Borjomi, journalists from "TV Borjomi", newspaper "Borjomi" and "Samkhreti Karibche" newspapers were present.
The project was opened by the founder and chairwoman of MCERC, prof. Mariam Gersamia. During her session, she talked about self-censorship and freedom of speech. "In the fight against self-censorship and fear, it is important to have a collective resilience in dealing with stress and to understand this problem not from the individual level, but from the structural level. A journalists should have a supportive and reliable environment in the newsroom, which helps them cope with stress. They should have the opportunity to discuss problems related to self-censorship in workplace" she said.
Director of the International Law Institute Prof. Irine Kurdadze, within the session - "Freedom of Expression and Media", spoke about the place and role of freedom of expression in international human rights law, the role of journalists and media in building a democratic state, etc.