True – there have been many workshops for journalists in the North East, but this was a special one on how media workers on the frontline of conflict can respond intelligently to extremist discourse from an informed Islamic perspective.
Peacebuilding is a global concept defined by the UN as: “Aiming to reduce the risk of lapsing or relapsing into violent conflict by strengthening the capacities at all levels for conflict management, and to lay the foundation for sustainable peace and development.” Journalists are very important – they are relied upon by citizens for explanation, interpretation and analysis of situation. The aim of the training was, therefore, to strengthen journalists’ capacity in intelligently responding to extremist messaging which could easily sway the vulnerable and the uninformed.