JEMSTONE Newsletter 7

A debate is underway in the JIMENA FORUM section of our web-site: please contribute. One of the central topics at our Round Table conference in December (below) will be the links between:new information technology --> freedom of speech --> democracy -->economicdevelopment; if you have views on aspects of this subject please visit thesite and join in the discussion.

Freedom of the web -- we are also collecting details of restrictions on the use of internet around the Mediterranean. Confidentially send examples of limits that you have encountered (financial, political, physical etc etc) to tudor@jemstone.net.

Heads of Network Partners -- it now looks certain that Jemstone will receive European funding for at least another two years. Therefore at the beginning of September we are inviting the chief editors and senior managers of the main media organisations across the Eastern Mediterranean to join us in Marrakech for a day (just before the big World Bank meeting) to discuss Jemstone's plans for 1999-2000.

Jemstone's Autumn Programme -- the summer journalism course in Holland is now full. If you are interested in taking part in any of the events later in the year (see below) it is important that you fax or e-mail your interest to us now:

*training the trainers - one-week workshops in Cairo and Amman to equip journalists and media professionals to be part-time trainers for their organisations;

*advanced internet - this short workshop is for journalists already using internet, so they can exchange ideas and learn new ways of working the web;

*political cartoonists - a 'masterclass' with Search for Common Ground, to enable cartoonists from the Euro-Med region and beyond, to compare experiences;

*education corrrespondents - possibly in Tunis in November, with support from UNICEF, trying to 'create' and develop specialist education reporters;

*Round Table Conference - jointly with the Institute of Diplomacy in Amman and the Sean MacBride Round Table, we will be considering key issues facing the media, including globalisation and new technology.

tl/30/5/98

FOOTNOTE:

We have been criticised in the past for running too many of our activities in Jordan. Recently we have organised events in both Egypt and Lebanon and in both cases have been refused permission for Palestinians to attend. As long as this carries on it is inevitable that most Jemstone events in the region will continue to be held in Jordan.