MDC and UNESCO held a workshop on Media Development Indicators

Media Development Center “MDC” at Birzeit University, with collaboration with Ramallah Office of the United Nations Organization for Education, Culture and Science 'UNESCO', held a training workshop for two days on the 16 and 17 of October 2012,  the workshop aimed to discuss the  “Media Development Indicators (MDIs)" to assess Palestine’s national media landscape.
This workshop came within the framework of preparations for a national Media strategy in the Palestinian territories, Which will discuss the reality of Palestinian Media with aim to develop it and organize its work in partnership with the official authorities and institutions.
The workshop was held at the headquarters of the Continuing Education Center of the University of Birzeit in Ramallah, and in partnership with the Al-Aqsa University in Gaza.
In addition tens of Palestinian journalists from West Bank and Gaza Strip, attend the workshop also numbers of government officials who work in the field of Media and communication such as, Sabri Saydam, the President’s Consulate for Communication Affairs also, Mahmud Khalifa, Deputy of Ministry of Information.
The discussion was open between the attendance via video conferencing system linking the West Bank with Gaza.
From the other hand, the Executive Director of Centre for Law and Democracy , Toby Mendel said, that this workshop will contribute to put the first step in order to diagnose and development the reality of freedom of expression in the Palestinian territories. “through the assessment of the reality of the Palestinian media and know their problems, we can then begin to address” Mendel added.
Mr. Mendel focused also on “UNESCO” document on media development indicators, which focuses on the strengthen freedom of expression, pluralistic media, development the Social Media also development the Human resources.
In the same context, the Director of “MDC”, Nibal Thawabteh, said that this workshop is an introduction to research project will continue for eight months, which will be working on the development of standard study on the reality of the Palestinian Media and journalists in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. “thus will upgrading the Palestinian Media and strengthen the principle of freedom of expression.” Nibal added.
Mrs. Thawabteh stressed in the same time on the importance of applying the correct media regulation, especially in media curricula in Palestinian universities and training courses. “the MDC seeks during its sessions which held regularly  stabilization the correct media regulation which ensure greater freedom of expression” Mrs. Thawabteh said.
On the other side, the professor of journalism in the Islamic University of Gaza, Mohsen Franji, stressed on the need for the participate of the journalists in national projects, as well as make efforts to unite journalists Syndicate.
Also, the Palestinian female journalist, Rula Elian streesd on the need to unite the Journalism body through practical steps in preparation to put final solutions to end all of problems which impede the development of the Palestinian media sector.

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