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Newspapers for sale at a newsstand inTiraspol. Now, a peace and conflict resolution groups hails the role of local media.

TIRASPOL (Tiraspol Times) - During the months of March and April 2007, the Romanian Peace Institute PATRIR facilitated several workshops with experts and mass media from both sides of the Dniester river and contributed to providing peacebuilding training programmes to civil society representatives, says a report from the organization.

These activities were carried out within the framework of the Cooperative Peace Project in Moldova and Pridnestrovie, or Transdniester as the unrecognized country is also known.

The Director of the Cooperative Peace Project, Denis Matveev, commented on the press coverage received by the events:

“ - We have noted that the activities of the Cooperative Peace Project and PATRIR continue to attract attention from the mass media in both Moldova and Transdniestria. But what is more important is that the quality of the media's coverage of the conflict overall has begun to show signs of improvement in recent months."

" - Several key journalists and editors on both banks have made visible efforts to present the conflict and its many complexities in a more balanced and constructive light, avoiding enemy images and stereotypes and investigating the real issues affecting the population," says Matveev.

" - However, at our workshop with mass media representatives in Vadul lui Voda many participants expressed the view, that much more work still needs to be done to support more peace-oriented and more professional journalism in both Moldova and Transdniestria."

The international conflict resolution specialist believes that more support should be given to the media in the area, regardless of political views:
" - All those who are making the important steps for building a more peaceful and constructive informational space in Moldova-Transdniestria, need to be actively supported – by fellow reporters, editors, government, local entrepreneurs, politicians, journalists' organisations and funders.”

Mass media and civil society workshops

The Cooperative Peace Project works to give voice to the views and opinions of all key groups involved in the Moldova / Pridnestrovie conflict or affected by the conflict's ongoing social impacts.

To achieve this ambitious and vitally necessary task for peacebuilding in the region, the project's partners have organized several events in recent weeks - including trainings and workshops in conflict analysis for civil society leaders, mass media and youth from both banks and for political experts in Chisinau and Tiraspol.

PATRIR is an independent, non-partisan international peacebuilding institute, with experience of successful work in violent conflict situations on 5 continents of the world.

PATRIR is engaged in a multi-actor peace support role in Moldova and Pridnestrovie. Unlike the USA, the OSCE and the European Union, PATRIR does not take partisan views or support a specific actor’s agenda in any conflict situation.
The organization is known for not taking sides, and for giving the views of Pridnestrovie a fair hearing on equal terms as the views of Moldova.

Internationally renowned peacebuilding consultant and PATRIR’s Director Kai F. Brand-Jacobsen says: “The aim of our work in Moldova-Transdniestria is to support a sustainable and just outcome in the region that authentically respects and meets the needs of all sides.”

The Institute’s stated and clear approach is to work transparently with all sides in the Moldova / Pridnestrovie conflict. This includes both civil society and authorities on both banks of the Dniester.

See also:
» Press freedom 2007: Down in Moldova and Ukraine, up in Transdniester [1]
» Kai F. Brand-Jacobsen: "See the conflict as an opportunity, not a threat" [2]