The Drum Beat 16 - Media and Peace

This Drum Beat was inspired by the Strengthening Lifeline Media in Regions
of Conflict project. Contact Loretta Hieber info.ichr@ties.itu.int





PROGRAMMES





1. Strengthening Lifeline Media in Regions of Conflict (Lifeline Media) -
Global - a 3-phased project including: field research to determine the key
players and innovative projects involved in media and peace-building
activities, and a literature search to identify resources in the field; an
international workshop bringing together media and conflict resolution
practitioners to help identify "best-practice" in the use of media for
peace-building; and a publication on the findings of the Lifeline Media
research and workshop which will appear in a Media and Conflict Handbook
for Practitioners in summer 1999. This is a project of the ICHR/RP (see
#9). Contact Loretta Hieber info.ichr@ties.itu.int



2. "Kid's Mandate for Peace" - Colombia - Over 2.5 million Colombian
children voted for peace in the October 1996 Mandate, which was coordinated
by Unicef and the Network of Initiatives for Peace, comprised of 30 NGOs.
An average of 4,300 minors die violent deaths annually in Colombia. The
Mandate promotes tolerance and the right of children to grow up in a safe
environment. The children's movement served as the basis for the
"Citizen's Mandate for Peace", in which over 10 million adults voted for an
end to violence in Colombia. Contact Clara Marcela Barona
cbarona@unicef.org



3. INTERNEWS' "Video Bridges" - Bosnia-Herzegovina - uses video to bridge
communities torn apart by war. One production reunited by video a couple
which were separated by the outbreak of fighting in Sarajevo. This was
shown throughout the country on TV as a means of demonstrating how war
divides families and couples. Contact Amir Ibrovic amir@internews.org



4. "Children in Conflict" - Global - This radio programme with 10 series
in 9 languages will commence on the BBC World Service in April 1999. The
BBC characterises it as: "...the first time children tell their own
horrifying, heart rending stories. Their powerful testimony will be hard to
ignore." Planning began in 1998 with training sessions for producers,
including briefing on the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Programmes will include, for example, a focus on the Vanni area in the
north of Sri Lanka and the Great Lakes region in Africa. Contact Andrew
Thompson wsedu@bbc.co.uk



5. "New Home, New Life" - Afghanistan - is a radio soap opera broadcast 3
times a week. The show initially focused on the repatriation of refugees
and the reconstruction of Afghanistan. Currently, this programme addresses
peace-building by exploring domestic and community disputes. In the
absence of social and other services, the soap opera offers constructive
alternatives, such as advice about malaria or tips for small businesses.
This is an Education Project of BBC World Service. Contact Shirazuddin
Seddiqi shiraz@bbcaed.pwr.sdnpk.undp.org



6. Simunye Media Dialogue Project - South Africa - This project was born
out of the conflict between Africa National Congress (ANC) and Inkatha
Freedom Party (IFP) supporters in 1990 which led to 2,000 deaths, and raged
on for 4 years. Members of both sides produced a video analyzing the
conflict. The video was later shown to the leadership of both sides of the
community and discussion centered around to what extent, and how, this type
of intervention brings about peaceful change. The video-making process
structured the conflict resolution, and started building relationships
between the parties; it became a forum to resolve differences. Contact
Wiseman Ndebele ashokas@sn.apc.org



7. Youth Network Television (YNTV) - Global - links youth worldwide to
talk face to face about critical issues. Using video networking
technology, YNTV breaks through physical, cultural and political barriers,
helping shape a world where people better understand each other, and can
work together creatively. In places where a phone line is more accessible
than a satellite, YNTV links through multiple digital phone lines. Over
the next 5 years, YNTV will link youth in more than 40 countries. Hannes
Seibert mepeace@wn.apc.org



8. Talking Drum Studio (TDS) - Liberia - TDS began by producing programmes
on election education and polling procedures. Today, TDS aims to reduce
political and ethnic violence - stressing themes of peace, reconciliation
and democratization. Radio is used to promote dialogue among polarized
groups. Programming includes a 1/2 hour news programme, roundtable forums,
and dramatizations that are also performed as street theater. A radio
drama is under production, featuring a Liberian family displaced by the
war. According to its founder, Common Ground Productions, TDS has a 90%
listenership among Liberians. Contact Phil Bob Hellmich phellmich@sfcg.org





ORGANISATIONS





9. International Centre for Humanitarian Reporting/Radio Partnership is a
Geneva-based NGO which focuses on effective and innovative use of media as
a tool in peace-building, education and health activities in conflict
areas. The ICHR/RP is currently organising a "Journalists in Conflict"
Fellowship programme which brings journalists to Geneva for workshops on
humanitarian and peace-building reporting. It is also designing the HEAL
(Helping Expand Awareness of Landmines) Media Project which will promote
use of the media to increase awareness of landmines and provide
psycho-social support for landmine survivors. The ICHR/RP is changing its
name to Media Action International, May 1st, 1999. Contact Loretta Hieber
at info.ichr@ties.itu.int



10. The South African Media Peace Centre (MPC) focuses on mediation and
"mediatory" print, video/TV, and radio projects in South Africa and
internationally. MPC launches a series of projects - most notably, Video
Dialogues and Peace Radio which pioneered ways of facilitating dialogue and
promoting mutual understanding among conflicting parties. The MPC's
Mediation Project for Journalists has trained over 100 South African and
foreign journalists in conflict handling skills. Their aim is to deepen
the media's understanding of conflict and its management and to further
more constructive reporting. Contact Hannes Seibert mepeace@wn.apc.org



11. Imaginario is a Colombian foundation created for the innovative use of
media for peace. Imaginario's founders and associates come from Colombia's
creative community - including storytellers, puppeteers, musicians,
documentary film makers, professors of communication, and social
anthropologists. They describe themselves as being "passionately committed
to the construction of a future for our country [which has been] shattered
by a complex spiral of violence." Their focus is on the use of media
communications for conflict resolution, tolerance, and expanding dialogue
on peace-related issues. Contact Patricia Castano pcastano@cable.net.co



12. Hirondelle Foundation is an NGO set up by journalists to promote peace
and the prevention of conflict in the world by means of independent news
delivered to communities deprived of information by conflict or natural
disaster. The Foundation aims to make news reporting an instrument of
peace. The Hirondelle Agency aims to produce and disseminate news
dispatches on the hearings of the International Criminal Tribunal for
Rwanda to people directly involved and throughout the world. Contact Jean
Marie Etter info@hirondelle.org



13. Common Ground Productions (CGP) is the TV and radio production arm of
Search for Common Ground, an NGO dedicated to worldwide reduction and
resolution of conflict. Programmes produced by CGP aim to show that even
contentious issues can be examined in ways that inform and entertain, while
promoting the search for solutions. CGP recently won the ECHO Radio Awards
1998 for its projects Studio Ijambo in Burundi and Talking Drum Studio in
Liberia. Contact Sheldon Himmelfarb shimelfarb@fcg.org





GATHERINGS





14. Strengthening Lifeline Media in Regions of Conflict Conference, a
gathering of 60 individuals working in media-driven projects in different
conflict areas or in NGOs, academic institutions or international agencies,
was held 6-11 Dec. 1998 in Cape Town, South Africa. In attempting to
identify "best practices" in media and peace-building, participants
discussed the challenges, approaches and evaluation strategies for media
and peace-building programmes. Contact Loretta Hieber
info.ichr@ties.itu.int



15. The Hague Appeal for Peace (HAP) Conference launches 'The Decade for
Peace and Non-violence', 11-15 May 1999 in the Hague, Netherlands. The
Worldwide Media Network (WMN) will link 15 countries to the conference for
live links and post-packaged programmes. Programmes include: International
Humanitarian and Human Rights Law and Institutions; The Prevention,
Resolution and Transformation of Violent Conflict; Disarmament; and The
Root Causes of War - A Culture of Peace. Contact Hannes Seibert
mepeace@wn.apc.org





MATERIALS





16. The Canadian Institute for Media, Policy and Civil Society (IMPACS) is
working with the Canadian government to draft a framework to guide policy
on media and peace-building with a focus on media development in
pre-conflict, conflict and post conflict situations. They seek articles,
case studies, or thoughts on when it is appropriate to invest in media
development as a peace-building strategy. Contact Shauna Sylvester
shaunas@impacs.bc.ca

***

Many thanks to Loretta Hieber, Co-Director, ICHR/RP, for her contribution
to this issue. Editor - Deborah Heimann dheimann@comminit.com