T_MediaLiteracy
Media Literacy and Citizen Journalism in Iraq
Citizen Journalism has rocked the world from Bejing to Beirut. In four cities across Iraq, MiCT supported citizen voices for peace. With elements of Media Literacy training and Production Assistance, over 80 Citizen Journalists have made an imprint on their local communities through
Legacy Journalism has been criticized as elitist and out-of-touch. While trust in traditional sources of information has declined worldwide, space for everyday citizens to be heard has become an avenue for reconstructing public debate.
With support from the International Organization on Migration (IOM) and the Government of Japan, MiCT has launched a project entitled, "Media for Promoting Dialogue and Mutual Understanding." Through Media Literacy training and production assistance, over 80 active Citizen Journalists were given the resources to tell their stories and the stories of their cities.
In Najaf, Mosul, Dohuk, and Tal Afar, participants produced and published their narratives of peace, reconstruction, and the future.
As this project continued throughout the pandemic into 2020 and 2021, training moved online and focused on digital and social media training for citizen journalists, specifically with the aim to address issues of media ethics, digital security, and fake news. As a result of this training, a Facebook page titled “Iraqi Citizen Journalist” has since been created and is managed by the leading 5 students. The page provides a platform for students to share their stories throughout Iraq and beyond. Check it out and support the page at: https://www.facebook.com/iraqi.citizen.journalist/