On April 1, the Coordinating Body for Pan-Armenian Forums of Journalists held its first session of the year. The session was moderated by editor-in-chief of Lebanon’s Aztag Daily, chairman of the Coordinating Body for Pan-Armenian Forums of Journalists Shahan Kantaharian.

RA Deputy Minister of Diaspora Serzh Srapionyan was also participating in the session.

Among the items on the agenda were the “Media forum: Geography and emphases of expected coverage”, “Coverage by Armenian-language and foreign language media outlets ahead of April 24^th” and “Ensuring participation in the training courses for journalists as part of the 2015 “Diaspora” Summer School Program”.

Presenting the issues discussed during the 5^th International Media Forum “At the Foot of Ararat”, the declaration adopted by the participants and the representation, editor-in-chief of Hayern Aysor electronic newspaper Nayiri Megerdichian mentioned that the forum was widely received by the media outlets of foreign countries, particularly by Turkish and Azerbaijani media outlets. The speech of the President of the Republic of Armenia was printed and interpreted by Turkish pro-government and oppositional media outlets, including TRT, CNNTurk and Aksam. “Interestingly, Turkey’s pro-government media outlets recorded that President Sargsyan gave a speech at the international media forum, but fell short of mentioning the title of the forum, that is, “At the Foot of Ararat”,” said Megerdichian, adding: “Azerbaijan, in its turn, has added in its so-called “black list” the names of the 30 journalists having participated in the forum and having visited Artsakh.”

Megerdichian set aside the unprecedented coverage of Arab presses and mentioned that Aztag’s Daily’s Arabic version was a source of information for the presses.

“The Arab Al Ghat, Al Mukhtasar News, Arab Index, Al Kurnal, Sahm Misr, Shaml 24, Cairo Now, Al Mujez, Al Masri Aleaum, El Mupashr Masr and Masres newspapers printed long excerpts of the speech that RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan gave at the forum,” the editor emphasized.

Chairman of the Coordinating Body for the Pan-Armenian Forums of Journalists Shahan Kantaharian emphasized that the media forum was significant in terms of preventing the flow of misinformation from Turkey and Azerbaijan, as well as in terms of internationalizing the symbol of the forum, that is, “At the Foot of Ararat”.

President of the Union of Journalists of Armenia Astghik Gevorgyan suggested compiling the articles devoted to the speeches given at the forum and publishing a book since the struggle for recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide and the elimination of the consequences will be ongoing.

Megerdichian suggested creating a new page for the participants of the forum on Facebook, which will serve as a platform for foreign journalists to reflect on the Armenian Genocide.

The participants of the session stated that the articles about the forum need to be studied and that there is a need to compile the articles printed not only in the Arab World, but also in Europe, Russia and the USA.

For the coverage by Armenian language and foreign media outlets of events in regions ahead of April 24^th, Shahan Kantaharian mentioned that Armenia and all Armenians around the world are commemorating the Armenian Genocide Centennial not only in Armenia, but in all large cities across the globe, while only Turkey will be holding events dedicated to the 100^th anniversary of the Battle of Gallipoli.

“It is also clear that Turkey will counter the forum by trying to present the real goals and objectives of the media forum in a different way. We need to specifically examine English-language newspapers where there are mainly articles that support Turkey’s counterattacks and denialist policy. Those kinds of articles will be published more in April, and the climax will be April 24^th,” Aztag Daily’s editor-in-chief added.

The third item on the agenda was the issue on ensuring the participation of Diaspora Armenian journalists in the training courses for journalists that will be part of the 2015 “Diaspora” Summer School Program.

Head of the Department of Information and Telecommunication at the RA Ministry of Diaspora Vaghinak Vardanyan mentioned that there was a need to ensure the required number of participants and expand the geography. Vardanyan added that the Ministry of Diaspora had suggested that the Faculty of Journalism of Yerevan State University prepare a program for this year, taking into account the experience of the last five years.

Talking about the peculiarities of the program for training courses for journalists this year, Dean of the Faculty of Journalism Naghash Martirosyan said this year the best journalists would be giving lectures on “The History of the Armenian Cause and the Armenian Genocide”, “Hamshen at the Crossroads of the Past and Present”, “The Artsakh Issue in the Current Stage”, “Armenian Diaspora”, “Issues in Armenian History” and other topics.

The dean suggested making a short film about the “Diaspora” Summer School Program and the results and trying to show the film at cultural and educational institutions in Armenian communities abroad.

Head of the Department of Media and Public Relations at the RA Ministry of Diaspora Evelina Baghdasaryan suggested planning the lectures by the heads of relevant subdivisions of the Ministry of Diaspora and the editor-in-chief of Hayern Aysor electronic newspaper in order to present the provisions of the concept paper of the RA Ministry of Diaspora and the programs, the information policy, as well as the cooperation with media outlets in Armenia and in the Armenian Diaspora.

Once approved, the program for the summer school for journalists will be sent to media outlets of the Armenian Diaspora to be printed and to engage members of the Armenian communities.

The participants of the session stressed the fact that it was important for active media outlets of different regions to help make the summer school program for journalists a success by increasing the number of participants and selecting the more professional journalists among the participants.