Save the Date – Conference on Migration and Media Awareness

The CMMA2021 is a two and half day conference which convenes approximately 350 participants from 4 continents, 30 countries and over 100 institutions to engage in discussions with key stakeholders (policymakers, educators, social workers, activists, bloggers, journalist, representatives of communities) through numerous workshops and podiums as well as exhibition, music and performance formats.
 
Methods are exchanged and strategies are developed to find a way to deal with media reporting on issues of migration, xenophobia, fake news, hate-speech and also de-colonizing cultural journalism with positive counter-narratives, social commitment, and exile-born creativity.

This year, CMMA2021 Conference theme is “Looking Back, Thinking Ahead” and will focus on the importance of inclusion, diversity, and participation within the Media and Art sector (community & mainstream). The New Neighbours documentaries will also be screened.
 
More information here

New Neighbours Online Webinar: Creating intercultural media narratives

New Neighbours Online Webinar Creating intercultural media narratives

Media professionals are coming together to share what it means to work on intercultural media projects during the New Neighbours online Webinar. Over the past 24 months, the European Broadcasting Union and its project partners CMFE – Community Media Forum Europe, COMMIT, COSPE Onlus and MDI – Media Diversity Institute have been implementing good practices of promoting direct participation of migrants and refugees in European media productions. Now the time has come to look back and ask: what has worked well? What surprised us? And what would have needed more time to fulfil our expectations?

Some answers and lessons learnt will be shared in a 90-minute online conference on Monday, February 22nd, 14:00-15:30 with people behind the EU-funded New Neighbours project. Journalists, community media producers, experts with a migratory background, campaigners and public service media professionals will discuss how to create successful intercultural media projects and why this is pivotal. 

You will hear from:

    • Agnese Papadia, European Commission policy officer at DG Migration
    • Wouter Gekiere, Head of Brussels Office at EBU
    • Anna Meli, Communications Director at COSPE, Florence
    • Rufine Songue and Rouby Baba-Traoré, producers of Our Voice at Radio RDL, Freiburg
    • Selma Cherif and Diana Bota from Mondinsieme, Reggio Emilia
    • Tea Vidović, migration expert at the Centre for Peace Studies (CPS), Zagreb
    • Greta Wessing, co-chair of the Refugee Law Clinic Berlin (RLCB), Berlin
    • Marco Farina, director of Human Rights Youth Organization (HRYO), Italy
    • Marisa Torres da Silva, assistant professor at NOVA University, Lisbon
    • Helmut Peissl, Director of COMMIT, Vienna

The Webinar Creating intercultural media narratives will be moderated from the European Broadcasting Union in Brussels by Jeroen Depraetere, EBU Project Manager, in cooperation with storytelling coach Beatrice Ngalula Kabutakapua, Milica Pesic, MDI Director, and Nadia Bellardi, CMFE Project Coordinator.

The event takes place on Monday, February 22nd, 14:00-15:30 and is free.

To attend, please register here – places are limited

New Neighbours National Meeting in Hamburg

New Neighbours National Meeting in Hamburg

On November the 14th of November 3pm CET, New Neighbours presented its documentaries during one of the national meetings in Hamburg, Germany. 

National meetings are a structural part of the project of New Neighbours and they are an opportunity for people interested in challenging the narrative around migration, to meet, discuss and learn from each other. 

This national meeting in particular was moderated by Larry Macaulay, founder of CMMA2020 and Refugee Radio Network

The Schedule of the National Meeting in Hamburg

The national meeting in Hamburg took place online: it was be live-streamed on Youtube via the platform Kampnagel Digital Platform and will be accessible freely. 

Starting at 3pm CET, the even went on until 5pm CET and saw the participation of several experts. Guest speakers were: 

    • Nadia Bellardi – Project Manager / Partner NN – Community Media Forum Europe – CMFE
    • Bettina Kolb, producer of the documentary Deutsche Welle – DW 
    • Dasa Raimanova, Director of the documentary Deutsche Welle – DW 

While additional panel speakers are: 

    • Nyima Jadama, Journalist from The Gambia – ALEX Offener Kanal Berlin
    • Dasa Raimanova, Director of the documentary – Deutsche Welle
    • Judith Rau / Nadine Jessen Jesseline, founders – New Media Socialism Hamburg
    • Anas Aboura, Activist from Syria, working as a Curator at Kampnagel Hamburg
    • Muller Gracio Manalu,  Artist/Musician from Indonesia Member –  Mirage Band & Projekt Toffi-Hamburg

Screening of New Neighbours Documentary During the National Meeting 

Halfway through the national meeting, one of our documentaries was screened: Across the Road – Worlds Apart which tells the story of Syrian refugees finding a new home in Germany. 

For more information on the national meeting and to access to it, visit the Facebook page

Watch the replay below

New Neighbours at the 3rd Euro-Mediterranean Communicators’ Workshop EUROMED

New Neighbours at the 3rd Euro-Mediterranean Communicators’ Workshop EUROMED

A representative of New Neighbours will share views on a new narrative on migration at the 3rd Euro-Mediterranean Communicators’ Workshop EUROMED. 

3rd Euro-Mediterranean Communicators’ Workshop EUROMED

The 3 rd Euro-Mediterranean Communicators’ Workshop organized by the EUROMED Migration IV project in collaboration with the Club of Venice will focus on the most current challenges to the implementation of balanced migration narratives, the elements that determine effective communication on migration and the future consequences related to the global COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of this workshop is to provide practical recommendations from prominent experts in the field that will help practitioners be better aware and prepared for such upcoming strenuous tests.

The context

When asking citizens what migration in the Mediterranean looks like to them today, there is a strong likelihood that the images coming to mind are of refugee camps, border fences, boatloads of asylum seekers or episodes of unsuccessful integration initiatives. Most of the migration-related coverage in the region depicts a situation often described as “out of control1 ” and the prospect for serious, balanced and factual debate among governments, policy makers and citizens on this matter has never been harder. The reality is that the governmental authorities of the countries concerned and directly involved in this complex Mediterranean scenario are doing their utmost to ensure that all migration flows in the Euro-Mediterranean region be regular, legal, safe and documented. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated this visual narrative with further sanitary, health and security concerns that significantly affect public perceptions and opinions to migration in the region.

If public perceptions and consequently citizens’ behaviours are the result of “narratives” rather than “reality”, why should governments, public officials and migration policy makers beware of this? Can such a distorted narrative impair actual policy-making? The answer is clearly “yes” and thisis why over the past few years ICMPD and the Club of Venice have tackled the issue of polarized migration narratives by proposing recommendations, organizing high-level events and ultimately running workshops for communicators in the field.

New Neighbours’ Contribution

Nicola Frank, Head of Institutional Relations at the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) will participate in a roundtable on November the 10th at 2:30pm. 

For more information on the conference and to participate please click here

Diversity at the center of a new media narrative – New Neighbours at Terra di Tutti Film Festival

terra tutti film festival New Neiighbours

Diversity needs to be at the center of a new media narrative, that’s the outcome of New Neighbours participation at Terra di Tutti Film Festival.

On October 8th, New Neighbours has participated to the Terra di Tutti Film Festival in Bologna, Italy. Since 2007 the Terra di Terra di Tutti Film Festival is a platform for documentary and social film productions shining a light on voices from the Southern hemisphere. This year the Festival took place from October 6th to 11th with a combination of live events and online sessions. 

New Neighbours participated in the debate on how to diversify the media narrative through: a seminar, a masterclass, the screening of Across the Road – Worlds Apart and In the Ghost Town

An outdated debate on inclusion of cultural diversity

Although migration has been at the heart of public debate and media attention for years, the information that is given to the related issues remains characterised by partial narratives which is oftentimes negative and misleading. This stands to prove how the debate on the inclusion of cultural diversity in the word of journalism is now outdated in Europe.

In fact, the world of journalism has struggled to include the voices of the direct protagonists, both behind and in front of the microphones. In Italy in particular, the difficulties of access to the journalistic profession have increased –
underpaid assignments, precariousness and generational change – and contributed to a narrative of the present often anchored to the logic of the past and impervious to the processes of innovation and creativity.

Good practices for diversity in the media narrative

Throughout the three sessions we participated to at Terra di Tutti Film Festival,  good practices were shared with the thousands of people connected online and offline in Bologna, Italy.

Larry Moore Macalauy explained how Refugee Radio Network was born for giving voice to migrants and refugees and raising public awareness to demystify the mainstream narrative.

Franz Jennekens shared a video from RTR (Dutch Public Broadcasting Service) to demonstrate how the diversity is a richness. 

Francesca Vecchioni (DiversityLab) highlighted the tool of Media Diversity Award for grabbing the media attention and giving visibility to several types of diversity,
and intersectionalities.

Giovanni Parapini (Director for Third Sector at RAI) talked about the birth of a new
department in RAI (Italian Public Broadcasting Service) for raising awareness on diversity and the need to spread more inclusive narrative.

The Masterclass

The masterclass was organised in collaboration with the University of Bologna. It proposed an in-depth review of cultural diversity in the media, starting from relevant European experiences promoted by Dutch Public Service Media and refugee journalists in Germany.

    • How do national and European media portray newcomers and refugees in our societies?
    • Can transcultural and intercultural skills represent an opportunity for European journalism and beyond?

Media stakeholders from the academic field, public broadcasting, and alternative media have discussed these issues.

The Masterclass was chaired by Nadia Bellardi (CMFE) who has introduced at the beginning keys concepts, regarding diversity inclusion and transculturalism. After her incipit, Franz Jennekens (RTR), Larry Moore Macalauy (Refugee Radio Network) and Roza Tsagarousianou (Reader in Media and Communication at the Faculty of Media, Arts and Design of the University of Westminster) have illustrated some of the best practices implemented in Europe, such as: 

    1. RTR Diversity campaign in Netherlands for promoting minorities rights,
    2. Academic research enquiring the link between diaspora and media,
    3. Migrantpolitan initiative in Hamburg for increasing integration and cultural understanding.

The need for a renewal in the narrative of the present is becoming increasingly urgent today, and the importance of newsroom openness to experiences of diversity is more relevant than ever before.

Documentary Screening of migrants stories 

To conclude New Neighbours participation to the Terra di Tutti Film Festival, a film screening was organised. 

More than twenty thousands people had the opportunity to watch In The Ghost Town and Across the Road – Worlds Apart. Both films tell the stories of the everyday life of people who, coming from different cultures, share workplaces, schools, sports but also dreams and hopes. The first is set in Italy while the second is set in Germany. 

The documentary series “New Neighbours” (nominated forthe Prix Europa) tells stories of migrants who have had to leave their homes and try to integrate into a new reality, confronting the population who hosts them. 

To watch the films online click here

Migrants’ Stories Documentary Screening in Czech Republic

As part of the international project New Neighbors – Promoting Intercultural Media Spaces which is taking place in the Czech Republic in cooperation with Czech Television, the anthropological studio Anthropictures organised an online documentary screening.

The event took place on the 13th of October, partly online and in person in Czech Republic. The two documentary screened were Czech Lessons and Across the Road – Worlds Apart which narrate the stories of migrants settling in Czech Republic and Germany.

The screening was an opportunity to bring the stories of migrants to the wider world, which is what New Neighbours stands for. In fact, as well as the producer from Česká televize, there were students and general public attending the online event. 

If you’d like to organise an event to create a conversation around migration by screening New Neighbour’s documentaries, please contact us

New Neighbours at the International Conference of Journalism on Migration and Development of Mérida

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF JOURNALISM ON MIGRATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF MÉRIDA

New Neighbours is taking part to the The III International Conference of Journalism on migration and development.

The conference is taking place from the 18th to the 22nd of October via Zoom.  With over 80 speakers in its pool, it is a space  to debate the complexity and future of migration coverage from different perspectives.

In the words of the organisers: 

“The debate will address varied topics and current challenges and will be a meeting point for those who publish and those who produce the information.”

New Neighbours participation to the International Conference of Journalism on Migration

A contribution from New Neighbours will happen on the 21st of October at 6pm. 

Daniela Drastata, journalist and producer of the Croatian public broadcaster HRT, chairwoman of the EBU Intercultural and Diversity Group, and executive producer of the documentary series “New Neighbours” will be speaking. 

She will be joined by Frans Jenneckens, journalist and producer of the Dutch public broadcaster NTR, and executive producer of “New Neighbours”. Jenneckens is also Head of Diversity at the Dutch public broadcaster NTR.

During the conference, Drastata and Jenneckens will focus on the challenges faced when trying to position migration and diversity as a prime-time topic away from stereotypes.

The goal is to discuss the inside hurdles of broadcasters (lack of diversity in newsrooms, the pressure of shares, stereotypes…) and the need for journalists to educate themselves on biases as well as on the complexity of migration.

More information and how to signup 

The conference is mainly in Spanish, but there are many debates and sessions that count with an English interpretation. The program is not available in English yet, but some debates will be moderated in English.

To attend the conference, please click this link and register your interest. 

New Neighbours at Fazana Media Fest

New Neighbours at Fazana Media Fest

Early in September we screened a selection of our documentaries at the Fazana Media Fest. It was an evening organised in collaboration with our partners Media Diversity Institute and the European Broadcasting Union to discuss media, migration and stereotypes. 

To present the evening was Daniela Draštata, from HRT and also executive producer of our international New Neighbors series. 

During the evening, the audience enjoyed two of our films: Hope House and Across the Word – Worlds Apart

In its second year of life, the Fazana Media Fest is an international multimedia festival organised in Croatia and inviting journalists to discuss ethical and professional journalism principles.

To learn more about the Fazana Media Fest and our collaboration with them, read more here



New Neighbours at Terra di Tutti Film Festival

New Neighbours at Terra di Tutti Film Festival

Since 2007 the Terra di Terra di Tutti Film Festival is a platform for documentary and social film productions shining a light on voices from the Southern hemisphere. This year the Festival takes place from October 6th to 11th with a combination of live events in Bologna, Italy, and online sessions. 

Three sessions on media and diversity involve New Neighbours

SEMINAR “Media and migration: exploring language and creating new narratives” 

October 8th from 9:00am CET

Despite migration being at the center of the public debate and under the eyes of media organisations, the information shared remains highly characterised by partial and confusing narratives. These narratives fail to include the voices of the direct protagonists. 

To join the discussion and receive invaluable training, click here.

MASTERCLASS – “Let’s Diversity – diversity and creativity in TV productions

In collaboration with the University of Bologna

October 8th from 3:00pm to 5:00pm CET

This is a masterclass reserved to the students of the University of Bologna. To access to it, you can join via MS Teams through this link: https://bit.ly/3jlrUnG

FILM SCREENINGS – “New Neighbours”

October 8th from 6pm to 7:30pm CET at Cinema Tivoli, Bologna 

The screenings will be introduced by Daniela Attalini, producer and Antonello Savoca, director of the New Neighbours Italian documentary, realised by RAI 3 and nominated for the Prix Europa 2020.

Two will be the films screened from the New Neighbours selection:

To learn more about the festival, visit the page www.terradituttifilmfestival.org

CMFE trainings on multilingual broadcasting

Three training workshops are taking place in September and October in the framework of the EU-funded project New Neighbours. The CMFE workshops aim to empower more migrants and refugees, women in particular, to produce their own media contents on community media. Tools and techniques for multilingual broadcasting (using more than one language within the same program) will be a core element of the trainings, referring to materials developed by community radios and training institutions in the past fifteen years. CMFE is working with three local partners in Italy, Slovenia and Spain who wish to strengthen the role of intercultural broadcasting in their organisations. The workshops will focus on core competencies such as presentation and interviewing but also on workable methodologies for creating intercultural programming teams and motivating volunteers from migrant communities. The first training will take place at Radio Student in Ljubljana, Slovenia, one of the oldest community radio stations in Europe, with Birgitte Jallov, founder of Empowerhouse and CMFE President. The Catalan radio and TV station RTV Cardedeu near Barcelona, Spain, will host the second training with radio journalist Bianca Miglioretto, whereas the intercultural centre Fondazione Mondinsieme in Reggio Emilia, Italy, will close the circle with Refugee Radio Network founder Larry Macaulay. Due to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, CMFE and its partners have devised a training format composed of online and on-site elements. Training participants and local mentors will work together at the chosen locations, while the international trainers will join via online sessions. We are also inviting the authors of the New Neighbours fact sheets on media and migration to present their research from the three countries and moderate a session on the topic of intercultural integration. Finally, a special focus on changing the narrative on refugees and women will come via a session with Auriane Itangishaka, anchor of VOA Africa Our Voices, a TV round table discussion program with a pan-African cast of four women.

Three training workshops are taking place in September and October in the framework of the EU-funded project New Neighbours. The CMFE workshops aim to empower more migrants and refugees, women in particular, to produce their own media contents on community media. Tools and techniques for multilingual broadcasting (using more than one language within the same program) will be a core element of the trainings, referring to materials developed by community radios and training institutions in the past fifteen years.

CMFE is working with three local partners in Italy, Slovenia and Spain who wish to strengthen the role of intercultural broadcasting in their organisations. The workshops will focus on core competencies such as presentation and interviewing but also on workable methodologies for creating intercultural programming teams and motivating volunteers from migrant communities. 

The first training will take place at Radio Student in Ljubljana, Slovenia, one of the oldest community radio stations in Europe, with Birgitte Jallov, founder of Empowerhouse and CMFE President. The Catalan radio and TV station RTV Cardedeu near Barcelona, Spain, will host the second training with radio journalist Bianca Miglioretto, whereas the intercultural centre Fondazione Mondinsieme in Reggio Emilia, Italy, will close the circle with Refugee Radio Network founder Larry Macaulay. Due to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, CMFE and its partners have devised a training format composed of online and on-site elements. Training participants and local mentors will work together at the chosen locations, while the international trainers will join via online sessions.

We are also inviting the authors of the New Neighbours fact sheets on media and migration to present their research from the three countries and moderate a session on the topic of intercultural integration.

Finally, a special focus on changing the narrative on refugees and women will come via a session with Auriane Itangishaka, anchor of VOA Africa Our Voices, a TV round table discussion program with a pan-African cast of four women.