July 2009

Local Democracy Agency Subotica initiated this project in order to include the local media and to have an adequate media coverage of activities in a joint program of the Council of Europe and the European Commission: European intercultural cities, as the new network of European cities in which city of Subotica has the full membership. Namely, in cooperation with the municipality of Subotica, the Local Democracy Agency (LDA), prepared the application at the end of 2007, and after the visits of experts in early 2008 Subotica got on the list of Intercultural cities. Subotica is included in this program in which now are actively participating cities such as Berlin Neukölln (Germany), Greenwich (UK), Izhevsk (Russian Federation), Lublin (Poland),  Lyon (France), Melitopol (Ukraine), Neuchâtel (Switzerland), Oslo (Norway), Patras (Greece),  Reggio Emilia (Italy), Subotica (Serbia), Tilburg (the Netherlands), a total of 12 cities. The main thematic frames are related to good local governance in multi-ethnic communities, as well as innovative approaches to local authorities to include citizens, members of various national and ethnic communities in the creation and implementation of the sectorial local policy.

European project and our topic is therefore part of wider activities in the field of promoting good practice for intercultural management, international cooperation between the city of Subotica and European cities in the context of improving European partnerships; promotion of multiculturalism and good local government.  In that way the project becomes an integral part of the strategies for economic development in Subotica  developed in 2007.

Project activities
Journalism workshops and TV contributions

During the preparatory activities we achieved good communication and cooperation with local medias to which we continuously present informations about the activities of Subotica in the list of intercultural cities. In this sense, the two journalists (newspapers and radio Subotičke Subotica) had participated in a seminar on media monitoring interculturality at local level. A jingle for broadcast on television (you can find it on the main page) was also made in cooperation with the Eco TV, YU partner in the project. In addition, in preparation seminars - journalism workshop put special emphasis on year 2008, which was declared the European year of interculturality. They all largely served as the general framework of media convergence and as the affirmation of the issue to citizens through local media. The educational component, and journalistic workshops for local media in Subotica, with the aim to improve the quality of coverage of European issues in media, was entrusted to the Media Diversity Institute in London, and to the Executive Director Milica Pesic, who has many years of experience in the training of journalists and experts with the Council of Europe.

Practical training objectives are mainly related to the need to introduce journalists to the entire program in Subotica, for them to provide quality, transparent information and to give public education about the importance of interculutality. Practical training in this project consisted of two types of activities: The room of journalists in the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, and the press workshop which was held in Subotica.

In collaboration with the local Informative YU Eco television, we organized a departure to Strasbourg, which is the Council of Europe seat. The aim was to prepare and to produce a series of at least three reports on the concept of intercultural management at the local level, the European standards, including interviews of the meeting participants, representatives of appropriate departments of the Council of Europe and the Strasbourg city administration.

Concerning the coordination with the Department of Culture of the Council of Europe (DG Culture and Heritage), the principal, Robert Palmer and his assistant, Irena Guidikovom, prepared a program (please visit the YU Eco TV web site and find the Conference of Intercultral cities, which is next to the interview with participants) and they provided contact and possibilities for recording in the Council of Europe as well as in the city administration of Strasbourg. It is important also that the local television journalists actively participate in the preparation and implementation of journalism workshops.
A trinomial team of journalists with cameramen was in Strasbourg in the period from February the 28 to March the 8. 
They made a report in the form of news and they get enough material for more than three 30 minutes contributions. This was broadcasted on April the 25.


Journalism Workshop
Subotica, 3-4 February 2009.

Media and Interculturality:
Establishment of standards for responsible journalism
Journalism Workshop.
Subotica, 3 - 4 February 2009
As you already know, since February 2008, the city of Subotica, on the joint program of the Council of Europe and the European Union, is part of a network called European Interculutral cities. This newly network consists of 14 European cities such as: Reggio Emilia (Italy), Lyon (France), Lublin (Poland), Patras (Greece), Tilburg (Netherlands), Berlin-Neukeln (Germany), Oslo, and they co-operates and exchange good practices in the areas of local government in multi-ethnic communities, affirmation of cultural heritage, public information and education. The Program of cooperation and partnership of cities started in 2008. It is designed as a continuous activity and gives the possibility to develop joint projects financed by EU funds. The Directorate for Culture of the Council of Europe is responsible for planning and for activities coordination: www.coe.int/interculturalcities
In order to promote the affirmation of local community, LDA Subotica, in cooperation with local government and with the support of the Fund for the development of non-profit sector in Vojvodina, organized during 2009 a range of activities for the local media in order for them to be actively involved in the implementation of international cooperation within the newly formed network of European cities. In this sense, the first part of the project activities, under the name of European and our issues, was a seminar organized by the Media Diversity Institute, London, and the Council of Europe as a partner in the realization of the entire program. The lecturer was Milica Pesic, the Executive Director.

The objectives of the workshop:
• Introduction to basic principles and to the European interculturality context
• Introduction to basic principles of responsible reporting on social and cultural diversity;
• Making a link with the Joint Program of the Council of Europe and the European Union 'Intercultural cities' with a focus on the media components of the program;

The seminar was attended by 18 journalists of electronic and print media. Other guests on thematic meetings with journalists were Ljubica Kiselički, Deputy Mayor and Ildikó Lovas, City Council member in charge of culture. The introductory notes were done by Ms. Kiselički and she newly emphasized the importance of institutions and innovative mechanisms in the practice of local self-government, especially concerning the recent decision of the City Assembly of electoral environment will be soon take in practice in the teaching of subjects in elementary schools. Examples of our good practice in improving the overall interethnic tolerance and understanding through projects for the youth were shown as well as weekly bilingual magazines for students of primary and secondary schools, 5 + and sponges. Ildikó Lovas in his presentation put the emphasis on the Theater Arts as a possible form of good intercultural communication in the field of culture.
Web Report Published: www.lda-subotica.org and www.subotica.info

Conclusions and results

During the realization of the project, we had good communication and cooperation with the partners - the city of Subotica administration, the Center for multiculturalism, and especially with the Yu-Eco TV. During the implementation of project activities, we presented the Council of Europe experts - Phil Wood, who was in the second study visit to Subotica in early February 2009. The implementation of this project has made a step forward in improving the public information about the European and our topics, and importance was given also to the affirmation of Subotica through the European Intercultural cities. The visit of a TV crew from Subotica to the Council of Europe was also especially important, and it has put forward a clear interest for the city and local institutions to actively participate in the process of development and improvement of European partnerships.

In addition, this is probably the first time that a team of local television in Serbia was in the Council of Europe while Serbia is one of the full members. This will certainly contribute to the European idea and to approach our citizens, as well as the improvement of media coverage on topics related to European integration with special emphasis on the standards of good local governance and improvement of human and minority rights in local communities.

Report compiled
Stanka Parac Damjanovic
Director