Internationale BJS-Programme

Osteuropa und Teile des Kaukasus befinden sich in einer tiefen Krise.Gewalt und Krieg säen Misstrauen und Wut zwischen Bevölkerungen der betroffenen Länder. Ein aktuelles Programm der gemeinnützigen BJS Berliner Journalistenschule zielt darauf ab, grenzübergreifend den Austausch zwischen Armenien und Georgien und das Verständnis zu stärken. Hintergrund ist, dass beide Länder – frühere Sowjetrepubliken – heute verschiedenen Wirtschaftsblöcken angehören bzw nahestehen. 

Armenien gehört zur von Russland dominierten Eurasischen Wirtschaftsunion, Georgien ist über eine vertiefte Freihandelszone mit der Europäischen Union verbunden. Außerdem hat es an verschiedenen militärischen Einsätzen der Nato in Krisengebieten teilgenommen. 

Schon deshalb haben beiden Länder ein sehr unterschiedliches Verhältnis zu Russland, das durch dessen Angriff auf die Ukraine noch verstärkt wurde. Es besteht die Gefahr, dass sich beide Staaten tendenziell entfremden.

In dieser Situation hat die BJS ein vom Auswärtigen Amt im Rahmen der #CivilSocietyCooperation finanziertes Projekt organisiert, das zunächst insgesamt 10 JournalistInnen aus beiden Staaten in Berlin zusammenbrachte. Ziel: In gemischten Gruppen konnten die TeilnehmerInnen grenzübergreifende Reportagethemen entwickeln. Die vorgeschlagenen Themen reichten vom Klimawandel über  Arbeitnehmerrechte und gewerkschaftliche Organisation bis zum Einfluss geflüchteter russischer StaatsbürgerInnen in beiden Ländern. 

In Berlin trafen sie sich dafür unter anderem mit Experten vom Deutschen Gewerkschaftsbund, mit erfahrenen Auslandsjournalisten, mit Wissenschaftlerinnen sowie mit einer aserbeidschanischen Polit-Expertin.

Drei Wochen später kam die Gruppe im armenisch-georgischen Grenzgebiet mit Vertretern von Nichtregierungsorganisationen zusammen, die - ebenfalls als Teil des BJS-Programms - grenzübergreifende Projekte entwickelt hatten. Die Themen

waren unter anderen: Empowerment von Frauen in der Region, Auswirkungen von Bergbauprojekten auf die Umwelt und gemeinsame Jugendprojekte. In Workshops mit den JournalistInnen erarbeiteten sie Strategien dafür, wie sie bei Medien ein möglichst großes Interesse für Ihre Themen erreichen können.

Das von den TeilnehmerInnen als sehr gut bewertete Programm läuft mit denangestoßenen Projekten und Reportagethemen noch weiter. Aber schon jetzt sind als Folge des Programms zehn Artikel oder Multimediabeiträge erschienen, weitere werden folgen. 

Are you an NGO member in Armenia and Georgia and interested in and working on the relations between those two countries? Especially in a time when real wars effect your region directly and indirectly and show an even stronger need for closer cooperation? Then you have the opportunity to strengthen the relations between your home country and its neighbor by applying for our project “Overcoming divisions through exchange and research”.

The project will enable you to present your important activities as a NGO/CSO member and discuss existing cross border related issues with colleagues from other NGOs from both countries during a network meeting in the Armenian border region at 23-25 September 2022. You will also have the op-portunity to present those topics to journalists from Georgia and Armenia and discuss with them, too.  

The project is organized by BJS Berlin Journalism School and supported by the German Federal Foreign Office as part of #CivilSocietyCooperation, in partnership with "Journalists for the Future" from Armenia and “Green Alternative” from Georgia.

We will bring together 20 NGO representatives from Armenia and Georgia in a three-day workshop to present best-practice examples of cross-border cooperation and jointly develop further concepts. Yet, if you never worked cross-border but think the challenges you are facing might be comparable to those of NGOs on the other side of the border, you are as well welcome to join. Speakers from both countries will be invited, but also individual NGO representatives will be asked to present examples of their own work.

Moreover, if you feel that you are or your NGO is doing a great job, but nobody knows about it, you have another good reason to apply.  Because on the third day a group of 10 journalists from Armenia and Georgia will join the meeting. They will discuss your project approaches with you, and they will work with you on how and with what kind of preparation of data and facts you can get attention for your work and projects in the media. The journalists will also report on the NGO projects and take their experiences from the border region as examples of the problems and opportunities in the relationship between the two societies. 

Travel expenses and accommodation will be covered. 

Who can apply?

English-speaking NGO members or employees of all ages who are interested in Armenian-Georgian relations.

What do we need from you? 

·        A cover letter in which you describe both your professional background and the reasons for your application.

·        An idea for the cross-border project you are already working on or would like to try to work on with an NGO from your neighboring country.

·        A short description of your NGO (one paragraph is enough, though it can be longer). You might add a link to a website which might also be in Grmenian or Georgian.

·        A short CV.

·        If possible a proof of your knowledge of English.

Send these documents only via e-mail (pdf, in total not more than 5 MB) to 

<crossborder@berliner-journalisten-schule.de> not later than 22 August 2022. 

Recommendations and a prove of the work of your NGO are always welcome.

Covid-19 information: Due to a dynamic situation, we cannot predict the pandemic situation in Armenia and Georgia in October. Therefore, we do not exclude the possibility of changing the format of the seminar/workshops to hybrid. We will communicate all possible changes with you and promise to make everything possible to maintain your safety and health. 

If you have further questions, do not hesitate to contact Clemens Schöll, head of the program <clemens.schoell@berliner-journalisten-schule.de>.  

You are a journalist from Armenia and Georgia. You are interested in and working on the relations between those two countries. You have a good knowledge of economics and an idea what the affiliation to different economic blocs means for trade and cooperation. You want to strengthen the relations between your home country and its neighbor, especially in a time when real wars show effect your region directly and indirectly and show an even stronger need for closer cooperation. And you would love to discuss all those issues with colleagues and top-experts during a seminar in Berlin.

If you find yourself in this description, you are the perfect candidate for our multi-level project “Overcoming divisions through exchange and research”.

It is organized by Berlin Journalism School and supported by the German Federal Foreign Office as part of #CivilSocietyCooperation.

In the first part, most likely being held from in end of August, ten journalists – five each from Georgia and Armenia - will come to a seminar at Berlin Journalism School in Berlin. Here they will enjoy lectures on and discussions about the EU economic policy in the area of the EaP countries.

They will also be able to contribute examples from their own reporting. The participants will meet German colleagues with a professional focus on the EU, EaP and EEU, visit an editorial office and have talks with a representative of the Federal Foreign Office or the Federal Ministry of Economics. Finally, the seminar offers the opportunity to discuss topics for joint journalistic cross-border articles.

A few weeks later, the Armenian and Georgian participants will meet again for two days either in Tbilisi or Yerevan to meet experts from both countries. They will discuss the EEU and also Russian strategies and their implications for Armenia's relations with its neighbouring countries, especially with Georgia.

With the impressions and the facts they gained in these discussions the participants will go on a two days research in the border region of the respective other country and produce a story on their findings. Focuses could be the development of border trade, possible problems and people's concerns when looking at their neighboring country.

Finally, they will join a three-day summer workshop in a location close to the border from 23 to 25 September with 20 NGO representatives from Armenia and Georgia. The journalists will help the NGOs to understand how they and their projects can get attention of the media. At the same time they will also write about border-crossing projects which the NGOs have developed.

Travel expenses, accommodation and costs for visa (if necessary) will be covered.

For the cross-border research a small remuneration will be paid.

Who can apply?

English-speaking journalists of all ages – employees or freelancers – who are interested in Armenian-Georgian relations and have proven experience in economic reporting.

What do we need from you?

• A cover letter in which you describe both your professional background and the reasons for your application.
• An idea for journalistic cross-border story you would like to work on with a colleague from your neighboring country.
• Detailed curriculum vitae.
• If possible a proof of your knowledge of English.

Send these documents only via e-mail (pdf, in total not more than 5 MB) to

<crossborder@berliner-journalisten-schule.de> not later than June 26^th, 2022. Please send only certificates and recommendations if they have a direct connection to your applications, e.g. a prove showing experience as a trainer or international cooperation, but no certificates from university.

Covid-19 information: Due to a dynamic situation, we cannot predict the pandemic situation by in August in Germany as well as in Armenia and Georgia in October. Therefore, we do not exclude the possibility of changing the format of the seminar/workshops to hybrid. We will communicate all possible changes with you and promise to make everything possible to maintain your safety and health. Furthermorer, we would ask all chosen participants to get vaccinated with EU-approved vaccine to avoid restrictions when coming to Berlin.

This project is run and organized by Berlin Journalism School in cooperation with "Journalists for the Future" NGO from Armenia and “Green Alternative” from Georgia.

If you have further questions, do not hesitate to contact Clemens Schöll, head of the program <clemens.schoell@berliner-journalisten-schule.de>.

Mit zwei zeitgleich stattfindenden Workshops in Armenien und Georgien ist das BJS-Projekt "Power of Data Supporting Women and Environment" knapp zwei Wochen vor Weihnachten in seine finale Phase gekommen. In der armenischen Hauptstadt Yerevan trafen sich 15 NGO-Vertreter/innen in einem zweitägigen Präsenzworkshop, BJS-Projektleiter Clemens Schöll und Referent Michael Hörz waren zugeschaltet. 

Der Workshop in Georgien fand wegen eines erneuten Lockdowns online statt. Deshalb musste der geplante Besuch einer besonders stark umweltbelasteten belasteten Region ausfallen.  Stattdessen übertrug ein Umweltaktivist mit Handycam Bilder aus dem Gebiet in die Videokonferenz mit ebenfalls 15 Teilnehmerinnen. 

Zum Abschluss präsentierten die Teilnehmerinnen verschiedene Fragen, bei den zusammengeführte und visualisierte Daten Aufklärung und Abhilfe versprechen, etwa: Welche Auswirkungen hat das Kochen mit Holz als Brennstoff die auf Gesundheit von Frauen in ländliche Gegenden? Wie beeinflussen die Beratungsgespräche in den georgischen women‘s councils die Verteilung von  Geldern auf kommunaler Ebene? Warum sterben mehr Frauen bei Naturkatastrophen?

Beide Workshops wurden maßgeblich von Trainerinnen gestaltet, die Anfang September an einem Online-Workshop der BJS für zivilgesellschaftliche Akteurinnen aus Armenien, Aserbaidschan, Georgien und der Ukraine teilgenommen hatten, unterstützt vom Auswärtigen Amt (AA) im Rahmen von #CivilSocietyCooperation. Partner vor Ort waren "Journalists for the Future" (JFF) in Armenien und das Georgian Institute of Public Affairs (GIPA). 

Bereits vor einigen Wochen nahmen rund 25 NGO-Vertreter/innen aus der Ukraine an einem gemeinsam mit unserem ukrainischen Partner Donetsk Institute of Information (DII) veranstalteten Online-Workshop teil.

"Power of Data Supporting Women and Environment" ist das vierte BJS-Projekt im Rahmen des AA-Programms „Ausbau der Zusammenarbeit mit der Zivilgesellschaft in den Ländern der Östlichen Partnerschaft“.

Wer erfasst in meinem Land welche Daten? Wie reagiere ich, wenn die Institution nicht herausgibt? Wie kann ich Informationen aus PDF-Dokumenten auslesen? Und mit welchen Grafiken stelle ich die so gewonnenen Erkenntnisse anschaulich dar? Mit solchen Fragen beschäftigten sich neun zivilgesellschaftliche Akteurinnen aus Armenien, Aserbaidschan, Georgien und der Ukraine bei unserem Online-Seminar "Power of Data Supporting Women and Environment" vom 31. August bis 6. September. 

Grundidee des im Rahmen von #CivilSocietyCooperation geförderten Programms  ist die Feststellung, dass der

Aus dem geplanten Präsenztreffen in der BJS wurde aufgrund der Coronalage ein Onlineseminar

Zugang zu Daten eine zentrale Voraussetzung für politische Teilhabe ist. In den ÖP-Ländern fehlt der Zivilgesellschaft (z.B. Vereinen, Stiftungen, Nichtregierungsorganisationen, Initiativen) jedoch häufig das Know-how, solche Daten zu finden, zu verknüpfen und gut verständlich aufzubereiten. Zudem gibt es häufig administrative Hindernisse. 

Die Teilnehmerinnen arbeiten in ihren jeweiligen Ländern zu zwei Themen, die dort zunehmend Aufmerksamkeit erhalten: Frauen-/Genderrechte und Umwelt/Gesundheit. Um sie für diese Arbeit weiter zu stärken, vermitteln wir ihnen über unser Programm in dieser Woche zusätzliches Know-how sowohl beim Umgang mit Daten als auch bei der Organisation von Workshops. 

Diese Fähigkeiten werden sie in einem zweiten Schritt in Workshops in Armenien, Georgien und der Ukraine an Teilnehmer/innen ausnstitute of Informa der Zivilgesellschaft der jeweiligen Länder weitergeben. Organisieren werden die Veranstaltungen dort von unserem Partner, "Journalists for the Future" (JFF) aus Armenien, dem Georgian Institute of Public Affairs (GIPA) und dem Donetsk Ition (DII) aus der Ukraine. 

Es ist das vierte Projekt der BJS mit dem Auswärtigen Amt im Rahmen des Programms „Ausbau der Zusammenarbeit mit der Zivilgesellschaft in den Ländern der Östlichen Partnerschaft“.

 You are a journalist from Armenia and Georgia. You are interested in and working on the relations between those two countries. You have a good knowledge of economics. You want to strengthen the relations between your home country and its neighbour, especially now that they are in different economic blocs. And you would love to discuss all those issues with colleagues and top-experts during a seminar in Berlin.

If you find yourself in this description, you are the perfect candidate for our multi-level project “Overcoming divisions through exchange and research”. 

It is organized by Berlin Journalism School and supported by the German Federal Foreign Office as part of its program “Strengthening cooperation with civil society in the Eastern Partnership countries”.

In the first part, most likely being held from September 14-18, eight journalists – four each from Georgia and Armenia - will come to a seminar at Berlin Journalism School in Berlin. Here they will enjoy lectures on and discussions about the EU economic policy in the area of the EaP countries. 

They will also be able to contribute examples from their own reporting. The participants will meet German colleagues with a professional focus on the EU, EaP and EEU, visit an editorial office and have talks with a representative of the Federal Foreign Office or the Federal Ministry of Economics. Finally, the seminar offers the opportunity to discuss topics for joint journalistic cross-border articles.

A few weeks later, the Armenian and Georgian participants will meet again for two days in Yerevan. In Armenia’s Capital they will meet experts from both countries and discuss the EEU strategies and their implications for Armenia's relations with its neighbouring countries, especially with Georgia.

With the impressions and the facts they gained in these discussions the participants will visit a border town in the respective other country for two days of research. Focuses will be the development of border trade, possible problems and people's concerns when looking at their neighbouring country.

Finally, they will join a three-day summer workshop, most likely in Haghpat, with 20 NGO representatives from Armenia and Georgia. The journalists will help the NGOs to understand how they and their projects can get attention of the media. At the same time they will also write about border-crossing projects which the NGOs have developed.

Travel expenses, accommodation and costs for visa (if necessary) will be covered. 

For the cross-border research a small remuneration will be paid.

Who can apply?

English-speaking journalists of all ages – employees or freelancers – who are interested in Armenian-Georgian relations and have proven experience in economic reporting.

What do we need from you? 

·      A cover letter in which you describe both your professional background and the reasons for your application. 

·      An idea for journalistic cross-border story you would like to work on with a colleague from your neighboring country. 

·      Detailed curriculum vitae.

·      If possible a proof of your knowledge of English.

Send these documents only via e-mail (pdf, in total not more than 5 MB) to 

crossborder@berliner-journalisten-schule.de not later than 26 July, 2020. 

Please send only certificates and recommendations if they have a direct connection to your applications, e.g. a prove showing experience as a trainer or international cooperation, but no certificates from university.

Covid-19 information: Due to a dynamic situation, we cannot predict the pandemic situation by in September in Germany as well as in Armenia and Georgia in October. Therefore, we do not exclude the possibility of changing the format of the seminar/workshops to hybrid (online/offline) or fully online. We will communicate all possible changes with you and promise to make everything possible to maintain your safety and health.

This project is run and organized by Berlin Journalism School in cooperation with "Journalists for the Future" NGO (JFF).

If you have further questions, do not hesitate to contact Clemens Schöll, head of the program clemens.schoell@berliner-journalisten-schule.de.

You want to use techniques of datajournalism to work most effectively for a better environment or for women’s/gender rights in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova or Ukraine? Then apply for our intense program on data journalism in these fields. The training is organized by Berlin Journalism School and supported by the German Federal Foreign Office as part of its program “strengthening cooperation with civil society in the Eastern Partnership countries”. It will strengthen you ability to aggregate, prepare and present data in an understandable and convincing way. And you will learn teaching skills that enable you to pass your knowledge on to other NGOs. The training in Berlin be followed by three workshops in Armenia, Georgia and Ukraine, organized by our partners in those countries, where you will work as trainers.

In the first part, most likely from September 1st - 6th, nine civil society actors from all countries of the Eastern Partnership will learn in-depth data-journalism. The focuses will be:

• Women's and gender rights: Many inequalities, disadvantages or discrimination can be proven and substantiated by data. Whether its the gender pay gap, domestic violence, women in leadership positions or other aspects.
• Environment and health: competently prepared data can also be used to substantiate and communicate health threats, accumulations of serious illnesses and even deaths caused by environmental pollution. Using facts like data makes information credible and convincing.

The training at BJS is supported by visits of Institutions working with data: Editorial offices, NGOs, a public authority, state institution etc. Finally the trainers will develop a concept for the three workshops as well as the role they will take in it.

Travel expenses accommodation and costs for visa (if necessary) will be covered. For the teaching at the workshops a remuneration will be paid.

Who can apply?

English-speaking NGO members/staff/trainers of all ages – employees or freelancers – with proven experience in the field of women/gender or environment from one of the mentioned countries. Basic skills and proven experience in working with data is essential.

What do we need from you?

• A cover letter in which you describe both your professional background (including experience in giving trainings) and the reasons for your application.
• Documents supporting your previous data-experience in the above mentioned topics. It can be websites, articles about previous projects and/or references from your NGO or previous employers. If you hand in documents/links in languages other than English, please add a short English summary. Please also indicate how many persons you could reach in future with your newly acquired skills.
• Detailed curriculum vitae.
• If possible a proof of your knowledge of English.

Send these documents only via e-mail (pdf, in total not more than 5 MB) to datajournalism@berliner-journalisten-schule.de not later than July 26th, 2020.

Please send only certificates and recommendations if they have a direct connection to your applications, e.g. a prove showing experience as a trainer or international cooperation, but no certificates from university.

Covid-19 information: Due to a dynamic situation, we cannot predict the pandemic situation by mid/end of August in Germany as well as the different EaP countries. Therefore, we do not exclude the possibility of changing the format of the seminar/workshops to hybrid (online/offline) or fully online. We might also be We will communicate all possible changes with you and promise to make everything possible to maintain your safety and health.

This project is run and organized by Berlin Journalism School in cooperation with "Journalists for the Future" (JFF) from Armenia, the Donetsk Institute of Information (DII) from Ukraine and the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs (GIPA).

If you have further questions, do not hesitate to contact Clemens Schöll, head of the program clemens.schoell@berliner-journalisten-schule.de.

Die Berliner Journalisten-Schule hat bis 2016 insgesamt 13 Jahre lang in Zusammenarbeit mit der Robert-Bosch-Stiftung jungen Journalisten aus Mittel- und Osteuropa die Gelegenheit zu einem Studien- und Redaktionsaufenthalt in Berlin geboten.