On Friday the 12th of May we will dive deeper into migrating perspectives in European media with a big conference throughout the whole building of Pakhuis de Zwijger. After a plenary opening, different breakout sessions will shed light on the question ‘How are journalists and migrant-led media initiatives transforming the way we perceive, debate and report upon migration in Europe?’
Mainstream media’s reporting on migration does not do justice to the lived reality of migrants in Europe. Therefore, migrant communities and individuals across Europe started their own media initiatives, reclaiming their rights to self-representation. In the past year, the project ‘Re:Framing migrants in European media’ has brought together a group of media makers with a migrant background. Together they have developed tools and new forms of media that challenge inequalities in the media. During the final event of this project, a broader group of journalists and media makers share experiences and initiatives and learn from the experiences of the first decolonised newsroom. Moreover, they will launch the project’s magazine ‘SHIFT! Actions for Migrating Perspectives’.
About the project
Re:framing Migrants in the European Media is a pilot project, in which The European Cultural Foundation is leading a consortium of five European organisations, aiming to change current media narratives by assuring appropriate media representation of migrants and refugees across Europe. The visibility of migrants and refugees in the public sphere is almost always peripheral: they are devoid of agency and that plays a symbolic role in media narratives. Several ‘migrant crises’ have revealed the importance of a media space in which newcomers can engage as participants, rather than subjects of public debate.
The magazine ‘SHIFT! Actions for Migrating Perspectives’ was made during the event ‘Decolonised newsroom’ organised by Here to Support and Unbias the News, and will be distributed for free on May 12. The editorial team consisted of members of communities in Europe, reflecting on their own approaches. These initiatives provide best practices for creating inclusive newsrooms representing racialised and marginalised communities. These best practices include selecting topics that encompass the diversity of migrant communities and encouraging the inclusive representation of diverse communities in reporting.
Programme May 12
The conference will start with a plenary opening by Mohamed Bah, Beatrice Duodou and Gabriela Ramirez amongst others, in which the magazine and its relevance will be presented. Thereafter, there will be four different breakout sessions, in which there is space to talk with each other in depth. In the first session speakers such as Ariam Tekle will discuss the importance of solidarity and collaboration between journalists, activists and artists. In the second session Nida Dinçtürk, Julia Vernersson and more, talk about sustainability structures around migrant-led media. In the third breakout room Babah Tarawally, Cigdem Yuksel, Sara Lemlem and Ala Buisir explore challenging the language and images used to describe migrants in Europe. The last break-out session is about the topic of reporting from places of arrival. This session will cover the issue of everyday mainstream media covering the places of arrival for refugees. The framing is mainly made by journalists, who come in and leave again. What would change in the framing of migration if refugees would be the ones reporting from the places of arrival? During this session, we will dive into three examples of migrants becoming storytellers, like Sajid Khan Nasiri, who created their own platform and media outlet.
After these breakout sessions, everyone will gather again to enjoy a meme game and some music. Finally, there is time to have drinks at the café, get to know each other better and continue the conversation on the topics discussed. Moreover, in the café the inspiring exposition of Barly Tshibanda will be displayed.
More information about the breakout sessions and speakers will be available in our magazine soon. Already enthusiastic? Check out the whole program and sign up here!
