Training for French-Speaking African Journalists, 06/01

June 11 to June 15, 2001

African Women's Media Center to hold Training over the Internet on Reporting on HIV/AIDS for French-Speaking African Journalists

Washington, DC - The African Women's Media Center, a project of the Washington, DC-based International Women's Media Foundation, will hold a five-day "cyber training" on reporting on HIV/AIDS for Frenchspeaking African women journalists from June 11 to June 15, 2001.

The Internet-based seminar is designed to equip French-speaking journalists with substantive knowledge about HIV/AIDS and provide practical tips on reporting on HIV/AIDS in Africa. Particular emphasis will be given to how the disease touches the lives of women on the continent. The AWMC held a similar conference in September 2000 for English-speaking journalists.

The Internet will play a key role in the training. Host sites throughout French-speaking Africa will offer space and computers to reporters who wish to take the training. Participants will also be able to log on to the sessions from their own computers. A moderator will conduct the cyber classes. Other experts on the disease will also participate as guest lecturers. There will be ample time for online discussion and online assignments. Participants may work alone or with other journalists at host sites to complete exercises.

Sessions will be live for four hours each day for five days. A different subject will be addressed each day, using HIV/AIDS experts and journalists who have covered the disease in Africa as resource persons. The program will begin each day at 10:00 GMT and run to 14:00 GMT (6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Eastern Standard Time). This schedule will accommodate journalists in all African time zones. Anyone who cannot participate during the program's live hours, can log on to the forum and add comments at the AWMC website after each day's discussion.

The daily training has been designed for easy access. Participants will simply log on to the AWMC's website, <http://www.awmc.com>, then follow directions. Following the training, the AWMC will publish a French-language resource guide to reporting on HIV/AIDS.

The program is being funded by the Chevron Corporation.

For further information, or to participate in the cyber-conference, contact:

Gifti Nadi
Project Manager
Tel: +1-202-496-1992
mailto:gnadi@iwmf.org
http://www.awmc.com