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The participants during the DVC

Ivoirian Journalists Trained on Covering Environment

To advance and improve media coverage of environmental issues in Côte d’Ivoire, the US Embassy brought together 30 journalists from the private and state-run media for a DVC with American University of Paris journalism professor, George Kazolias. 

The January 17 program focused on the different challenges journalists face in making their editors and readers understand why stories related to a healthy environment, clean cities, and strict enforcement of anti-pollution and dumping laws need to be regularly publish and reported.. 

Participants discussed the grave risks people run in ignoring air and water pollution, in tolerating ecological abuse and the destruction of natural resources, in accepting to live in unhealthy cities and unsanitary conditions.  In response to queries about what reporters must do to capture the public’s attention and make them more interested in environmental issues, Kazolias emphasized using language that the general public will understand, and showing the ways in which their daily lives will be personally touched by the particular matter being reported.

The program also offered participants to share useful story lines, reporting ideas, media techniques, and tricks of the trade in covering environment and ecological topics.