Forty leading journalists from both communities in Cyprus as well from Greece and Turkey attended the second Journalist Symposium on March 3-4 at the Titania Hotel in Athens, Greece. The event was sponsored by Embassy Nicosia's Bicommunal Support Program in collaboration with Embassy Athens and Embassy Ankara. Discussion focused on U.S. foreign policy in the region, perceptions of U.S. foreign policy, democratic reform in the Middle East, as well as the role of the media in reporting about neighbors and regional conflict. The symposium was opened by Deputy Chief of Mission, Thomas Countryman, Embassy Athens.

Participants hailed from Islamist, left-wing, right-wing, government and opposition newspapers. Speakers included Walter Russell Mead, Council on Foreign Relations; Dr. Tamara Cofman Wittes, Brookings Institute; Deborah Potter, Newslab; Carol Daniel Kasbari, Israeli-Palestinian Media Forum; Pavlos Tsimas, TA NEA; Yavuz Baydar, SABAH; Semih Idiz, MILLIYET; Ioannis Pretenteris, TO VIMA; Paris Potamitis, CyBC TV; Costas Yennaris, Phileleftheros; Hasan Hasturer, KIBRIS, and Hasan Kavecioglu, Radio May, Nicosia.

Participants debated issues of mutual concern, including perceptions of democratic reform in the region, the Cyprus issue, objectivity and subjectivity in reporting conflict, and the importance of maintaining close contacts and meaningful collaborations among all journalists working in the region.

Discussion and brainstorming spilled over in to the breaks, lunches and dinners in the historic Plaka neighborhood and at the port of Piraeus. High-level reporters gradually made mutually beneficial connections. Those taking part described the symposium as "one of the most important events of their professional careers." Most participants asked the Embassy to organize follow-up programs and to help establish a regional media forum for conflict sensitive reporting. Greek, Turkish, Greek Cypriot, and Turkish Cypriot TV and print media covered the event.

Links

Nicosia Journalist Symposium, March 2006

Journalism Links

Speaker Presentations

Carol Daniel Kasbari: The Media role in the Israeli Palestinian Conflict [pdf-58k]

Hasan Kafecioglu article [pdf-17k]

Costas Yennaris: Athens Seminar Talk on U.S. Foreign Policy [pdf-39k]

Barçin Yinanç: Confessions on a Turkish-Greek Dance Floor (from Turkish Daily News) [pdf-74k]

Yavuz Baydar : Buliding on Understanding [pdf-44k]

Yavuz Baydar article [pdf-65k]