Bahir Dar, October 19, 2022 – The U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa funded a grant implemented by Radio Netherlands Worldwide Media (RNW) and the Center for Advancement of Rights and Democracy (CARD) for a series of media training workshops. This week, the facilitators were joined in Bahir Dar by representatives of the U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Section for one of the sessions.
Forty journalists from Amhara Media Corporation (AMC), Abay Media, Bahir Dar University Community Radio, and the Amhara Journalists Association participated in a three-day media training facilitated by experienced Ethiopian journalists and media educators, who have been trained as trainers by RNW and CARD. Topics covered included understanding and identifying mis- and disinformation; fact checking; the role of journalism and media in democracy; and social media content creation. During her remarks, the U.S. Embassy’s spokesperson said, “Freedom of expression and access to factual and accurate information provided by independent media are foundational to prosperous and secure democratic societies.”
The goal of this program is to enhance the skills of journalists and to strengthen the institutional capacity of Ethiopian media organizations to improve the quality of information available to the Ethiopian public. Four hundred journalists from across the country will receive training through this program. Workshops have already taken place in Addis Ababa, Adama, and Gonder, and more are planned for other cities in Ethiopia. RNW Media, an international digital media non-governmental organization, and CARD, a local civil society organization, are implementing the initiative through a $200,000 (10,540,000 million birr) grant from the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa.
This is another example of the American people partnering with the people of Ethiopia to improve lives. To learn more about the U.S.-Ethiopia partnership, please visit: U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia (usembassy.gov) and follow U.S. Embassy Addis Ababa | Facebook and @USEmbassyAddis on social media.
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