Al Jazeera Week kicks off in Astana
Al Jazeera Week has kicked off at the International School of Journalism of the Maqsut Narikbayev University (MNU) on Monday, April 22. The event is organized by the TV and Radio Complex of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Al Jazeera Media Network with the support of MNU, Kazinform News Agency reports.
After taking the floor at the unveiling ceremony MNU Chairman of the Board Talgat Narikbayev and Director of Al Jazeera Media Institute Iman Al Ameri proceeded to ink the memorandum of cooperation.
“Al Jazeera is one of the largest news networks in the world. This is indeed an exciting opportunity for our university and students studying here. Al Jazeera is renowned for its adherence to the journalistic value of honesty. On top of that, it offers a wider perspective on regional and international events. Partnership between our university and Al Jazeera Media Institute holds huge potential for journalism development in Kazakhstan,” Talgat Narikbayev said.
Director of Al Jazeera Media Institute Iman Al Ameri believes that the memorandum of cooperation will present the opportunity to acquire all necessary skills and competences in media sphere.
“I believe we share common values and are moving in the right direction. It is delightful to see creative atmosphere in the university that inspires changes and creativeness. Right now we are working to keep up with all demands of the media market,” Iman Al Ameri added.
As part of the Al Jazeera Week, students of the MNU International School of Journalism will attends a week of workshops and open lectures on the most pressing issues of modern mass media.
Students will be offered over 100 hours of theory and practice on News Reporting, Data Journalism, Digital Storytelling, TV Presenting and more. At the end of the week, students will prepare and defend their projects choosing one field to get the Al Jazeera Media Institute certificates.
MNU Provost Sergey Pen pointed out the uniqueness of workshops offering students a chance to work on real cases.
“Students' task is to get the hang of all practices used at the global media level. This is the first time this type of workshops are held at the international level not only in Kazakhstan but in Central Asian region in general. Al Jazeera journalists will pass on their professionalism and experience to our students. Moreover, Al Jazeera Media Institute expressed readiness to invite participants of the workshops to do internships at the institute and unlock their potential,” Pen noted.
TV and Radio Complex of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan is one of the biggest media companies in Kazakhstan uniting Jibek Joly and Silk Way TV channels, Silk Way Cinema, Kazinform International News Agency and the Documentary Films Center.
Private-media conglomerate Al Jazeera Media Network was established in 1996 at the instruction of the Emir of Qatar. The network’s flagship channels include Al Jazeera Arabic and Al Jazeera English broadcasting all over the world. Al Jazeera Documentary produces documentary content.
