Anadolu Agency trains international journalists in disaster reporting

By Gokhan Celiker and Busranur Koca

ANKARA (AA) - Anadolu Ajansı (AA), in coordination with the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), has organized a Disaster Journalism Training program to equip journalists from 16 countries with essential skills to cover and report on disasters effectively.

The training sessions, held at the Anadolu's headquarters in Ankara, witnessed the active participation of foreign press members, including Yerdana Yerzhanuly, a special correspondent and anchor from Kazakhstan's Khabar Agency.

Yerzhanuly expressed her gratitude for the valuable insights from experienced Anadolu reporters, highlighting that they learned critical aspects to consider while reporting from disaster-hit regions.

The training also provided new knowledge in disaster photography, which proved especially beneficial for young journalists like herself.

Another journalist, John Muyamba, who serves as a regional correspondent for New Era newspaper in Namibia, praised the program as an excellent opportunity for enhancing practical skills.

He emphasized that the training delivered crucial guidance on what to do and what not to do while reporting from disaster zones. Additionally, Muyamba said that they learned how to capture compelling photographs from disaster areas, adding a new dimension to their reporting capabilities.

Recounting her experience in the Disaster Journalism Training, which saw participation from journalists across the globe, Barbara Strbac, a correspondent from NOVA TV, a television network in Croatia stressed the challenges of disaster journalism.

Sharing her experience when she arrived in Türkiye due to the Kahramanmaras-centered earthquake on Feb. 6, Strbac expressed gratitude for the support of fellow journalists, which made navigating the situation easier.

Praising the training as highly beneficial, she underscored the significance of learning from the experiences of others and how it could have potentially eased some of her previous reporting difficulties.

Similarly, Alioune Diouf, a journalist from Senegal, emphasized the relevance of the training, considering the increasing prevalence of climate change-related disasters worldwide.

Diouf stressed the importance of journalists knowing how to handle disasters, especially in regions like Senegal, frequently affected by natural disasters like floods.

The Disaster Journalism Training, held from July 16 to 22, encompasses training sessions at Anadolu's headquarters and Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD), along with corporate visits and cultural excursions for the participants.