Fifteen young journalists and activists attended training on the basics of journalism, photography, and storytelling. They were officially certified as youth correspondents on the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the Balkan Diskurs multimedia platform. With mentorship, they will have the opportunity to publish articles on socially significant topics that interest them through the Balkan Diskurs platform.
This year’s Balkan Diskurs training took place from October 31 to November 4 in the heart of Bosnia and Herzegovina, at the Čardaci Ethno Village in the municipality of Vitez. The training was led by editor Erna Mačkić and photographer Mitar Simikić, who have many years of experience in the field.
“I was happy to share my knowledge and experience with young journalists and activists who are ready to be active members of Bosnian society. I am pleased with their interest and willingness to learn and work,” said Mačkić.
Simikić, an award-winning photographer who has exhibited his photographs at numerous exhibitions in Bosnia and Herzegovina and abroad, expressed his joy at the young people’s interest in photography and the knowledge they demonstrated after the training through thematic photography assignments.
“The photographs are quite good,” Simikić remarked.
Sara Ružić, a participant from Mostar, said that she was welcomed at the Čardaci Ethno Village by low temperatures and vibrant nature. “The willows, apple kaki, ponds full of fish and ducks, houses with wooden roofs and blue windows, and the watermill were all embraced by air that froze my fingers, but the company and the food were full of warmth,” Ružić described. She noted that people from across the country, of different ages and with varying interests, got along as if they had known each other for years, and the food made them all feel at home.
According to Ružić, the participants gained theoretical and practical knowledge as well as important skills for writing news, reports, analysis, and more. They also received training in photography, which they practiced through teamwork.
“All in all, we left Vitez as trained correspondents, rested and knowledgeable people with new and valuable acquaintances and expanded opportunities,” Ružić emphasized.
Rijad Cerić, a participant from Jajce, mentioned that during the Balkan Diskurs training, he had the opportunity to expand his understanding of journalism, both in terms of ethical reporting principles and the practical and theoretical aspects of writing and photography.
“Before this training, I had certain ideas for writing, but after this experience, I learned how to properly structure an article from start to finish, which further motivated me to write new stories,” said Cerić.
Banja Luka participant Stevanija Ciganović said the training was extremely useful because she gained new knowledge about writing stories and expressing herself through photography. “I learned how to better recognize important topics in my community and how to present them in a way that will attract attention and inspire others. Additionally, the exercises we did helped me improve my writing skills and be fair and more concise in my expression,” said Ciganović.
She emphasized that the training gave her additional motivation to contribute to positive changes in her local community through her work. “Overall, the experience was extremely inspiring and practical,” added Ciganović.
New youth correspondents from Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Mostar, Jajce, Busovača, Tuzla, Zenica, Jablanica, and Srebrenik were awarded certificates for successfully completing the training by Dominik Urak, Deputy Ambassador of Austria to Bosnia and Herzegovina, who has been supporting the work of youth correspondents for years.
The 15 new youth correspondents will have the opportunity to publish content on the Balkan Diskurs platform, with appropriate compensation, joining 158 trained correspondents who have published more than 1,300 articles over the past decade.
Balkan Diskurs is an independent, multimedia platform that provides young journalists, activists, and academics from the Western Balkans the opportunity to publish their opinions, reports, analyses, and commentary on relevant events in the region without the fear of censorship. Through training and mentorship, we support young people as the next generation of media creators.
