Int'l Stratcom Youth Forum continues in southern Turkey

A gathering of young communicators from across the world continued on Monday in Turkey's Mediterranean province of Antalya. Kicking off on Friday, the six-day event Stratcom Youth: International Young Communicators Forum was jointly organized by the Turkish Communications Directorate and Youth and Sports Ministry. The forum, which is hosting 100 young communicators from 13 countries and 42 universities, is one of the side events of the Stratcom Summit 2021, held in December, that brought together experts and leaders from across the world. Its participants, university students pursuing communications degrees, are being given the chance to expand their theoretical and practical knowledge in this field, as well as to connect with experts. The event includes training and workshop session on more than 20 subjects, including strategic communication, public diplomacy, fighting disinformation, digital media, crisis communication, public relations, and journalism. On its third day, Serdar Karagöz, Anadolu Agency's director-general, said the agency was making investigative journalism a greater priority. Speaking at the event being held in the Turkish resort city of Antalya, Karagöz told the listeners that pursuing investigative journalism demanded time and sources. Discussing how journalism should be conducted in the current fast-paced digital age, Karagöz touched on the rise of citizen journalism, with some social media heads making statements in support of such efforts. It was investigative journalists who documented how French cement company Lafarge had been financing the Daesh/ISIS terror organization with its factory in northern Syria, said Karagöz, asserting that through investigative journalism, Anadolu Agency would 'steer the world.' The documents exposed how Lafarge, charged with complicity in crimes against humanity linked to funding Daesh/ISIS operations in Syria, had a relationship with the terror outfit that French intelligence knew fully about. Pointing out that every war has a 'symbolic photograph,' Karagöz said Anadolu Agency was renowned internationally for the photographs it published. He went on that the agency organizes the Istanbul Photo Awards every year, with more than 16,000 photographers and photojournalists from around the world applying to take part in the contest. Anadolu Agency expands its brand by publishing the best news photos in the world, he said, adding: 'Sometimes, a photo says it all. We attach great importance to our photojournalists. They're at the center of our work.' On Anadolu Agency's future aims, the director-general laid out plans to transform the agency into an international news agency headquartered in Turkey. By introducing three new projects, the agency is seeking to answer the question: 'How to become a robust news source in the digital age?' Another project is the Fact-Checking Line, comprising of a team of journalists equipped to verify reports and prevent disinformation, he said, adding that the 'most effective method against disinformation' is to quickly gather the most accurate information available. With its third project, the Discrimination Line, Anadolu Agency will focus on discrimination based on language, religion, race, and gender, closely monitoring such issues around the world.