Within the scope of the joint project “Reinforcing Judicial Expertise on Freedom of Expression and the Media in South-East Europe (JUFREX),” co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe, the Council of Europe organised in cooperation with the Macedonian Institute for Media a study visit to Ireland on 13-14 November 2018.
The study visit group included representatives from the Ministry of Education, the Bureau for Education Development, the Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services (AAAMS), the First Program Service of Macedonian Television, the Macedonian Institute for Media, the Institute of Communication Studies, the Foundation Metamorphosis and civil society organization “Conedu Global”. The aim of the visit was to exchange knowledge, experience and practices between representatives of the Macedonian and the Irish Media Literacy (ML) Networks.
The participants met with representatives of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI), which hosted the visit. Representatives of the BAI presented the functioning and administration of the Irish ML Network and their efforts to raise awareness about the ML Network among the media, education and civil society sectors. In the course of the study visit, the participants attended the ML Ireland Autumn Conference, hosted by Virgin Media TV - member of the Irish ML Network, along with most of the 114 member organisations from Ireland which presented some of their latest research findings and participated in panel discussions related to the Irish Network, the role of ML during times of social change, and shared experiences on various initiatives and projects they are running. On this occasion, one of the Macedonian participants, Ms. Emilija Petreska - Kamenjarova from AAAMS, gave a presentation about the Macedonian ML Network history and cooperation with relevant national stakeholders. The study visit also included bilateral meetings with representatives of the Irish ML Network, such as the Irish Film Institute, Transparent Referendum Initiative, the community station Near TV and the Center for Critical Media Literacy. The discussions resulted in an exchange of ideas about different initiatives that should foster cooperation between the Irish and Macedonian ML stakeholders in the future.
“The views expressed therein can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the European Union”
