INDEPENDENT MEDIA CENTRE KURDISTAN

Representatives of police and security police (assaish), editors in chief and politicians from all over Kurdistan talked together about improving the safety situation for the Kurdish press during the conference 'Safety for journalists is safety for all'. The conference was organised by IMCK and took place on Thursday April 21, 2011 in the Noble Hotel in Erbil. ,,Kurdistan is at a cross roads'', said Frank Smyth, the journalist security coordinator of CPJ (the Committee to Protect Journalists in Washington) during the conference. ,,I can see the growing pains in the relation between police and press. The Kurds have to make sure that the space for the press grows as Kurdish democracy grows''. The CPJ coordinator was an important guest in the conference, which was opened by the KRG minister of Culture, Kawa Mahmoud, who also spoke of the role journalists play in a democracy. Smyth said at the end of the conference to be impressed by the way the different representa

The team of Kirkuk Now on Saturday April 16 launched the news website in Kirkuk, to media, ngo's, politicians and others. The presentation was organised especially for Kirkuk, to give the website as much attention as possible. Project manager Jantine van Herwijnen and leading consultant Shwan Mohammed joined IMCK-director Judit Neurink (and Saman Penjwini from IMCK) on stage to give the most important details about the website, and to ask the Kirkukis to share their information with the Kirkuk Now team. KirkukNow.com provides the people of Kirkuk with independent news and information on what is happening in their city.

The first independent news website for Kirkuk, KirkukNow.com, was officially launched on April 14, 2011. During a press conference in Sulaymaniya, IMCK senior trainer Khidher Domle spoke about 'a dream come true'. Leading consultant of Kirkuk Now is Shwan Mohammed; he spoke of a website that creates a bridge for all Kirkukis. IMCK director Judit Neurink called the website 'from Kirkukis, for Kirkukis', as they will be invited to react, give their news and send their pictures. Pictures which show 'Kirkuk as you see it' will be placed on the website, next to news from the city and concerning the city. Kirkuk Now is published in Kurdish, Arabic, Turkmen and English, to provide all people in Kirkuk with the same information. The setting up of the site is possible thanks to funding by the Dutch ngo Hivos, the Belgian and the British government. For Kirkuk, the launch of the site will take place on April 16, 2011.

Internet editor Marco Visser returned to the IMCK to work with the Kirkuk Now staff on final changes needed for the website, before it will be officially launched on April 14 (in Sulaymaniya) and April 16 (in Kirkuk). Kirkuk Now is an independent news site for all Kirkuki's, with news, information and discussions.

International trainer Ruth Hopkins started a special week on human rights with the students of the post graduate course in journalism, Media bo Khalk. She will show the students what human rights are, in what way journalists can report on them. She will also give the students a basic view on international law, on what consequences these have for the situation in Iraq. The course will focuss on human rights all over the world, not only in Iraq. Hopkins trains on the same subject at the Journalism Academy in Utrecht, the Netherlands.

How to use live comments of listeners and still be able to structure the program? That is the main question international trainer Joris van de Kerkhof is covering during a 3 day workshop on Talkradio in Duhok। The training started on Tuesday April 5, 2011. Presenters and reporters from different radiostations in Duhok take part. Talkradio is popular with radiostations in Kurdistan, because it is simple and cheap. Listeners are invited to phone in, but presenters need more skills and information to be able to stay in charge of the program. During the workshop the participants will also practice interviewing. The workshop is organized in cooperation with Duhok University and the Badinan Foundation.

International trainer Joris van de Kerkhof started on Saturday April 2, 2011, on a short training on radio making with the students of the IMCK post graduate course in journalism, Media bo Khalk. Students will be introduced to the concept of radio, and be taught how to produce interesting items for radio making use of sounds they record. Van de Kerkhof will also talk with them about interviewing techniques for radio. The students started on their last month training. In May and June they will be working as an intern at different media in Iraq.