Freedom of the Press and Information
(June 13 - 25, 2004)
by Renato Jude P. Digao
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Renato Jude P. Digao |
The International Academy of Leadership in Gummersbach, Germany
was the venue of the 12-day Seminar on Freedom of the Press and
Information. Mr. Heinrich Bergstresser and Dr. Ahmed Bedjaoui
served as facilitators.
Twenty participants from Europe, Africa, Middle East, Latin America
and Asia, mostly media practitioners, gathered and shared experiences
and insights about their profession. They also learned from each
other and from the resource persons new and exciting concepts
on the following topics:
- The Media and their importance in a democratic society;
- Pluralism of opinion as a basis of liberal principles;
- Working of the press in Germany as well as abroad;
- Forms and problems of voluntary self-control of the press;
- The importance of access to media and of equal opportunities
for competing opinions;
- Technological development and diversity of media;
- The use and application of participative seminar techniques
(with special emphasis on visualization);
- Behavior in front of the camera and interview techniques;
- International security and the freedom of the press and freedom
of opinion;
- International electronic media and their impact on world
opinion.
I had observed two major factors that influenced the outcome
of the seminar. First was the willingness of the participants
to learn as much as they could from each other’s experiences and
from the resource persons. Second, with the participants coming
from diverse cultures and backgrounds, debates due to differences
in belief systems were bound to arise.
The seminar always began promptly at nine o’clock daily – German
time, we called it. Everyone came into the seminar room well prepared.
Each delegate was expected to contribute his or her insight and
experiences, and to participate actively in the activities and
discussions.
What struck me the most about the seminar was the On-Cam and
TV exercise. The knowledge I learned from this particular activity
can be very helpful in my job as a Media Relations Officer in
the Philippine Senate. I believe I can now be of help to Liberals
in the Philippines who intend to improve their on-screen image
and their overall appearance on TV.
After having been exposed to media practitioners from all over
the world, I can now also claim to have a more in-depth understanding
of the international media. In other words, I am no longer limited
to CNN and BBC.
It was not all work for us in the seminar. As Mr. Jorg Dehnert,
Director of the International Academy for Leadership, said, in
the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, they work hard and play hard.
Alas, my group was touted to be one of the less fun-oriented batches
to ever go to Gummersbach. We practically had to be dragged to
join the socials in the bar of the Academy!
For my part, I thoroughly enjoyed the excursion. On the third
day of the seminar, we visited Deutsche Welle and the Koln Cathedral.
We were also treated to a short trip to Munich, where we met with
Mr. Harald Leibrecht, a member of the German Parliament, and visited
the Dachau concentration camp.
In the 12 days spent with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation family
in Gummersbach, apart from what the seminar itself and the speakers
imparted, there were two things that left a deep impression on
me – the concepts of German time and of keeping things concise.
With the idea of always being on time, tardiness was a mortal
sin, and a premium was rightfully placed on being considerate
of other people’s schedule. I wonder when this concept will take
root among Filipinos as well.
And finally, in the Academy, as it appears to be in all of Germany,
it is a virtue to keep the things you say, short and simple.
