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Since war erupted on the morning of 6 April 1992, numerous attempts have been made to foster a media culture of honest, non-partisan reporting in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Have they succeeded or are parts of the media still driving a wedge between the communities?

• Who sets the agenda?
• The journalists?
• The politicians and media owners?
• The audience?
• Who does the media serve and why?
• Are things changing with the rise of the online audience and citizen journalism?
• Could they change?

Chaired by Boro Kontic of the Media Centar, and Ljiljana Zurovac, Executive Director of the Press Council, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and backed by the generous support of the Irish Government, the debate:

MEDIA IN WAR AND PEACE TIME: CAN WE DO BETTER?

aims to examine all these questions, with contributions from a well-informed panel and an audience of local and international journalists, media experts, activists and others at the Hotel Holiday Inn, Sarajevo, taking place between 9:00 a.m. and 2 p.m. on 6 April 2012.

Among those taking part will be: journalists and student journalists from around Bosnia-Hercegovina, representatives of the Bosnian Press Council and Journalists Association, journalists from two other post-conflict countries – Ireland and Lebanon – as well as a representative of Bosnia’s media regulatory authority.

Attendance at the event is free. To register interest or learn more about the event, please contact Peter Cunliffe-Jones, deputy director of the AFP Foundation (peter.cunliffe-jones@afp.com).

A note on the organisers

• The AFP Foundation is the not-for-profit media training arm of the Paris-based AFP news agency, set up in July 2007 to provide support and training to media in developing and transitional countries and promote press freedom. The Foundation exists in the belief that free, independent and responsible media can help people make informed decisions about their lives and thus help reduce poverty, promote development and defend human rights.

• The Council of Europe, an international organisation based in Strasbourg, France, was founded on 5 May 1949 by 10 states. Today, with its 47 member states, it covers virtually the entire Europe. The primary aim of the Council of Europe is to create a common democratic and legal area throughout the whole of the continent, ensuring respect for its fundamental values: human rights, democracy and the rule of law.