Solidarity Academy 2013

A practical workshop about journalism genres such as interview and reportage, seminars about the art of translating opinion journalism, influence of history, culture and politics on contemporary media discourse, lectures about history of Solidarity and meaning of solidarity, discussions about challenges which Europe faces – this is the programme of Solidarity Academy 2013, which will take place in Gdańsk on November 3th to 9th. Fifteen young journalists from all over the Europe will participate in it.

Solidarity Academy is international, educational project, which aim is nurturing and developing tradition of Solidarity. The history of Solidarity's social movement and peaceful socio-political changes in Poland and Central Europe are inspiration to search solutions to modern problems and overcome crises which arise because of lack of solidarity.

Participants of Solidarity Academy will be young journalists from Poland, United Kingdom, Czech Republic, Georgia, Moldova, Germany, Romania, Slovakia, Ukraine and Italy collaborating with bimonthly Nowa Europa Wschodnia magazine, English-language New Eastern Europe quarterly published by European Solidarity Centre, Jan Nowak Jeziorański's College of Eastern Europe and journalist portal Eastbook.eu.

The aim of the projects is to make participants aware of the problems related to multiculturalism, ethical dilemmas and technological challenges in work of modern journalist as well as ideological threats which may influence form, content and quality of media coverage. During the project young journalists will have a chance to expand their knowledge and develop skills required in their influential activity.

Workshops, seminars and lectures will regard topics related to history and philosophy of Solidarity, its modern message as well as issues relating to the current problems of Europe. Under the guidance of specialists participants of Academy will have a chance to improve their skills in conducting an interview, art of translating journalist texts or writing a reportage. Because of the international character of confronted problems important role will be played by the developing knowledge, which might help when moving between different cultural areas. The image of the modern journalist would be incomplete without field of new media, so workshops showing the way of working on thematic portals will also be very important.

Besides the joint activities, participants of the Academy will also be divided in smaller groups (New media group, Essayists group, Follow-up group), in which, under the guidance of instructors they will be able to improve their skills and develop a strategy of creating collective projects. One of the main objectives of this year's meeting will be creating a program of Solidarity Academy Graduates, which will help to maintain a contact and participate in collective initiatives.

Participants of Solidarity Academy will also take part in the conference “Europe with a View to the Future” which will take place in Gdańsk on November 7th and 8th. Topics of the conference will be focused on political condition of Russia, Eastern Partnership and European Neighbourhood Policy in East and South.

For more information visit: http://akademiasolidarnosci.pl/en/academy/news