Future Training

As part of its continuing commitment to bolster Iraqi media, IWPR is soon to launch a safety course for journalists in the country– called Safety and Security and Legal Protection.

The training is intended to introduce the western model of hostile environment training to Iraqi journalists, and will also provide training on media law.

The project is also planning a training programme aimed at providing legal protection for journalists. Eight Iraqi lawyers will be trained to become media experts, and will then train IWPR editors and journalists on legislation relating to media.

Below, four IWPR-trained journalists and regular contributors describe their experience of working for the Institute.

Zaineb Naji in Baghdad

IWPR, which is considered to be one of the most prestigious institutes in Iraq, opened its doors to journalists following the US-led invasion of the country in 2003.

The Institute started training journalists who had long been deprived of the freedom to write using professional journalism standards – or practicing “real journalism” as Iraqi journalists call it. The Institute also offered them the opportunity to learn basic reporting skills.

"The Henri-Nannen prize is proof of IWPR’s success in training journalists who are then able to work in international news organisations and magazines"

I began attending IWPR’s training courses in 2004, shortly after its Baghdad offices were established. I knew nothing about journalism and international writing standards when I was first came along. The teachers were excellent and I learned all of the basics in the first session, such as maintaining objectivity and developing a strong writing style.

Although I wasn’t lucky enough to have the story that I worked on during that particular training session published, later my stories were taken up. I admired the editor’s writing style, and eventually adopted my own.

I attended many IWPR courses after the basic skills class, which covered topics such as reporting on elections; the constitution and women’s issues; reporting breaking news; and feature writing.

These intensive courses provided a fast-track education and several years’ worth of study materials.

IWPR training also opened the door for me to work with several foreign news organisations such as the Economist, the Financial Times, the United Nations, the IRIN news agency, the German magazines Stern and Geo and the Wall Street Journal, to which I continue to contribute.

The Institute taught me how to write on a variety of topics, as well as instilling in me patience and a commitment to seeking the truth. The Institute also provides trainees with a chance to publish their stories on its website.

Because of my work at IWPR, I received the Henri-Nannen prize, the most prestigious journalism award in Germany, on behalf of all of IWPR’s journalists in May 2008.

The award was proof of the Institute’s success in training journalists who are then able to work in international news organisations and magazines. It also reflected the staff’s ability to continue training Iraqi journalists to adopt professional standards despite the difficult security circumstances.

While IWPR’s staff members are from many different countries, they all agree on one thing – maintaining the standards of professional journalism. They have done an excellent job in conveying those standards and offering the best quality information and teaching methods ever.

For all of these reasons, I remain indebted to IWPR’s staff, both past and present.

Samah Samad in Kirkuk

My journalism career began with IWPR, when I first became acquainted with international standards of journalism at a basic reporting skills course held in Sulaimaniyah. The course encouraged me to practice in-depth, professional journalism and to report on current events in Iraq.

I then participated in several more journalism IWPR courses, all of which made me fall in love with the profession.

"It makes me feel happy to know that my work, or stories by other IWPR journalists, have shed light on a subject or helped to improve a bad situation"

It makes me feel proud when my colleagues and acquaintances compliment my stories, many of which are edited by professional editors and published on the IWPR site. It also makes me feel happy to know that my work – or stories by other IWPR journalists – have shed light on a subject or helped to improve a bad situation.

For example, I recently wrote a story for IWPR about girls being deprived of education (See: Girls Denied Education).

After reading the story, the parents of one of the girls featured, Huda, decided to allow her to pursue her education. I couldn’t believe it when I heard the news, and I was deeply honoured.

I told her mother that I would support her education, even if it meant teaching her myself. The parents were impressed by the story, which was entirely a result of my IWPR training.

I have been working as a journalist for six years, including five years for IWPR, and continue to seek additional training to become more prominent and successful. I am keen to attend any IWPR courses in order to learn from its foreign and Iraqi trainers.

"What I like most about IWPR’s courses are the practical teaching style and assignments used. We are expected to apply what we have learned when we return to our newsrooms"

What I like most about IWPR’s courses are the practical teaching style and assignments used. We are expected to apply what we have learned when we return to our newsrooms.

With IWPR’s training, I have learnt an enormous amount and gained a great deal of experience, particularly in reporting under difficult circumstances.

Sometimes when I attend gatherings of journalists, I talk about the basics of journalism and how to write an article or essay. The journalists listen to me attentively, and only then do I realise the superb effect IWPR has had on my professional development.

Since training with IWPR, I have been offered several opportunities to lecture to beginner journalists in my city, and I hope to conduct a class using the same techniques that the Institute’s trainers have used.
 

I’m proud of being a trainee of IWPR – the pioneer of journalism education in Iraq.

Frman Abdul-Rahman in Sulaimaniyah

I began my journalism career in 1999, and attended my first international training session with IWPR in 2004. I have attended three advanced courses since then – economic reporting, opinion writing and investigative journalism.

What my classmates and I learned about journalism changed everything, and shook us to the core.

We learned how to write different types of leads and story structures. We all changed our reporting and writing techniques based on what we learned, and we used IWPR’s methods in our own news organisations.

All of the reports by IWPR contributors are edited by international editors and posted online. This process is a fulfilling experience for reporters, and IWPR’s support of journalists does not end with its stories.

"What my classmates and I learned about journalism from IWPR changed everything, and shook us to the core"

IWPR arranges frequent lectures from foreign journalists, and the materials provided by trainers are golden.

IWPR’s investment in Iraqi journalism provides a substantial morale boost for Iraqi journalists.

IWPR’s training has helped my career immensely. I became a reporter and then an editor at Rozhnama newspaper, which is published by Wusha, a prominent media company founded by a veteran Kurdish leader.

My work with IWPR also opened the door for me to attend a documentary training course with the Arabic channel Al-Jazeera.

IWPR inspired me to write a book, entitled Story, about the basics of international journalism. The book drew on the Institute’s course materials, as well as notes I took in class.

Susanne Fischer, the former Iraq country director, has written the forward to the book, which will be published soon by one of the top publishing houses in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Basim al-Shara in Baghdad

I was a news junkie when I was a kid. In addition to constantly reading newspapers and magazine, I was constantly chatting with neighbours about current events, earning me the name “Iraqi News Channel” in my neighbourhood.

"IWPR has created a generation of the most prominent who continue to greatly influence Iraqi journalism"

I always wanted to be a journalist. After the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime, I attended an intensive IWPR course where I learned how to write articles, describe details and provide analysis. As a cub reporter, I was nervous and found the work difficult at the beginning.

Reporting on the elections with another IWPR-trained journalist in Karbala was my first true start as a journalist. The Institute gave me the opportunity to have hands-on experience in the field, and I was able to practice the new interviewing and writing styles that IWPR introduced.

These techniques helped further my career, and provided my foundation as a journalist which I was able to take to organisations such as Radio Dijla.

I also participated in an IWPR course on women’s rights, which really influenced my journalism. I learned an enormous amount about women’s issues and how to deal with one of the most important groups in society. Women are, unfortunately, looked down upon – even by journalists.

I moved ahead professionally and began working with Radio Nawa, but never lost contact with the Institute. I have been able to write on sensitive topics for IWPR, such as women’s issues and homosexuality.

In 2006, it was an extremely dangerous time for journalists and anyone could be targeted. The Institute repeatedly contacted its trainees, asking us to report any security threats and offering shelter and aid for those in need.

IWPR has created a generation of the most prominent journalists – too many to name –who continue to greatly influence Iraqi journalism. The Institute has also offered some form of protection for its trainees and supports local organisations that push for journalists' rights.