JEMSTONE Newsletter 9

Jemstone Fifth Anniversary: the first Med Media Jemstone event began on 11th October 1993, when eleven editors from ten organisations in six Mediterranean partner countries (MPCs) gathered in London to establish what was then called Med Media Network Five. Jemstone now has over sixty media organisations in all twelve MPCs and has worked with more than 600 journalists and media managers. The aims of the network remain the same -- as reconfirmed at this month’s Jemstone Annual Evaluation meeting in Marrakech (other conclusions available on request):

* upgrade technical, journalistic and managerial skills in the MPC media;

* create networks of media professionals within the MPC region;

* increase contacts and understanding between media in Europe and the MPCs.

Jemstone’s future: we are now the biggest media training and development operation in the Eastern Mediterranean. The main problem we face is funding -- our current European Commission contract runs out in a couple of months and we don't know when or even if it will be renewed. We are in discussions with the World Bank, the EBU and various UN bodies about possible joint-ventures but without a long-term funding agreement soon Jemstone may not continue.

Jemstone programme, autumn/winter 1998: several events are already over-subscribed, including the second advanced internet for journalists workshop, the second short training the trainers workshop and the final workshop on producing an Arabic-language guide book for journalists.

Apply now for the two main events this autumn:

* 30th October to 2nd November -- a four-day masterclass in Malta for political cartoonists from all the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean, plus Europe, Iran, the Gulf and the US -- run jointly with the Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies and Search for Common Ground.

* 23rd to 25th November -- a three-day Round Table Conference in Amman on the impact of the global communication revolution on national identity and culture; this is a joint event with the Jordanian Institute of Diplomacy and the MacBride Round Table, under the patronage of HRH Crown Prince Hassan.

Jemstone plans for 1999: we are organising a number of Euro-Med professional media exchange visits, including experts in newspaper layout and TV production. We will be producing a Jemstone video on the importance of training for the media. The Arabic-language style book will be published. The interactive Jemstone web-site will be relaunched with web-based e-mail. The training bulletin will improve.

We hope to run specialist reporters’ workshops for business journalists on covering private businesses, understanding accounts and reading annual reports; and for foreign editors and correspondents on reporting Euro-Med issues, including the Foreign Ministers meeting planned for Stuttgart in April.

tl/20/9/98