On May 12, RT Arabic hosted the official opening of the InteRussia fellowship program for journalists from Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Morocco and Sudan.
The fellows were welcomed by:
— Manna Maya, Head of RT Arabic; — Karina Melikyan, Head of the Department of International Cooperation and Distribution at RT; — Lyana Dymova, Academic Programs Coordinator at the Gorchakov Fund.
During the opening ceremony, Manna Maya spoke about the specifics of RT Arabic’s work under the restrictions and the challenges that Russian media face nowadays. She emphasised that this fellowship is truly unique and highly important for Russia, since strong ties between journalists from different countries and continuous professional dialogue are essential for the further development of the media sphere.
Academic programs coordinator Lyana Dymova welcomed the participants of the program. She pointed out that today we are meeting at a critical juncture in international affairs. “The world is witnessing the birth of a new, more multipolar order. For decades, the Middle East and North Africa region has been a crossroads of civilizations, a cradle of culture and science, and, unfortunately, a theater of conflicts.
Journalism, especially in your region, is not an easy profession, you work under immense pressure. But responsible and fact-based journalism is more important than ever.
This fellowship program has been created to give journalists an opportunity to speak to each other, to get information firsthand and to learn from leading Russian experts on the field. Over the coming days, you will engage with Russian media professionals, experts on the MENA region, and specialists in international relations.
You will have a chance to build lasting professional networks with your colleagues from across the Middle East and North Africa”.
She also thanked partners of the program — RT Arabic and the Presidential Grants Foundation for their invaluable support and professional engagement.
Over the course, the journalists will take part in masterclasses and practical workshops led by journalists and media professionals from RT. The participants will also have an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of contemporary Russia. The program will conclude with the fellows’ participation in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, where they will be able to produce reports and media coverage for their outlets.
The InteRussia Fellowship for television journalists from the Middle East and North Africa is implemented by Mezhdunarodniki Autonomous Non-Profit Organisation in cooperation with the Gorchakov Fund and RT Arabic with grant support from the Presidential Grants Foundation.