Capacity Building of Young Communication Professionals in North Africa: “Results and Prospects” meeting from June 29th to 30th in Rabat

The Mohammed VI Foundation for Environmental Protection (FM6E), chaired by HRH PRINCESS LALLA HASNAA, in partnership with the Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation IUCN-Med, organized a meeting bringing together young journalists from North Africa.

This meeting ends the first training session delivered remotely via an e-learning platform, which began in March 2012 under the Capacity Building of Young Communication Professionals in North Africa project for sustainable development. An agreement was signed in September 2011 between FM6E and IUCN-Med for the implementation of this project.

HRH PRINCESS LALLA HASNAA, in her speech on April 28, during the 10 year celebration of the Young Reporters for the Environment program announced the establishment of the project in partnership with IUCN-Med, which includes Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia and is aimed at capacity building of young communication professionals through an e-learning platform for participants’ exchange and the acquisition of new environmental and journalistic skills.

Modules on climate change, renewable energy and the importance of forest ecosystems were provided to participants throughout the training that is based essentially on the Reference Training Kit by UNESCO, a FM6E partner, developed for media partners in education for sustainable development.

This online education has been provided by communication professionals and supported by a scientific committee.

During the meeting, the participants' work was presented and a panel discussion was organized around journalists’ issues with environmental information: Challenges and opportunities.

A summary document by young journalists on sustainable development in North Africa has been developed and will soon be posted on the FM6E website.

Friday evening the participants visited the photo exhibition "Another view of the environment" presented on the esplanade of the Kingdom of Morocco National Library in Rabat (la Bibliothèque Nationale du Royaume du Maroc). The exhibition features over 52 works of "Young Reporters for the Environment." The images reveal humans’ attitude towards their environment.

The meeting ends Saturday, June 30 with a visit to the educational path at the Bouknadel Exotic Gardens near Salé.