Protection of interests and freedom of speech as themes of Central Asian Journalists Seminar in Helsinki
Press release 364/2008
2 October, 2008
What are the working conditions of journalists in Central Asian countries like, what about their freedom of speech and expression, or opportunities for unionisation?
These are some of the questions to be discussed at the seminar organised in Helsinki next week by the Finnish Foundation for Media, Communication and Development (VIKES) and the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, and financed by the ministry. The event, to be held on Tuesday and Wednesday 7 and 8 October, is part of Finland’s Chairmanship of the OSCE, aimed to increase the readiness of Central Asian journalists to protect their interests and to promote freedom of speech and self-regulation of the media. The seminar supports the project of VIKES, implemented with development co-operation funding from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, aimed to support the unionisation of journalists in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tadzhikistan.
15 journalists will arrive to the seminar from Central Asian countries, and from Russia and Ukraine. For instance, Tamara Kalejeva, the director of the International Foundation for Protection of Freedom of Speech “Adil Soz”, from Kazakhstan, journalist and author Marfua Tokhtakhodjaeva from Uzbekistan and journalist Igor Sas from Turkmenistan provide an overview of the field of operation of the media in their own countries, and Nadezhda Azhgihina, the secretary of Russian Journalist Association, and Sergei Huz, the chairman of the Independent Media Trade Union, established at the beginning of the 21st century in Ukraine, report about experiences of new kind of protection of interests in their own countries. The Finnish speakers of the seminar ponder the situation of the media, journalistic work and the unionisation here in Finland.
Further information: Journalist Airi Leppänen, Finnish Foundation for Media, Communication and Development, tel. +358 40 5160 132, and Counsellor Katri Silfverberg, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 40 3547 536