Ankara                                                                                                                                                                                   11 May 2018                                                                                                                                                               (Anadolu News)

Anadolu Agency’s diplomacy journalism training program for foreign journalists came to an end on Friday with participants receiving their certificates.

The program was organized by Anadolu Agency’s News Academy in collaboration with the Turkish International Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA).

A total of 24 journalists from 15 countries of the Balkans, Southeast Asia and Southeast Africa attended 78 hours of practical and theory lessons in English during the12-day program.

Journalists took courses on foreign policy, diplomacy, energy, practical interview techniques and photo shooting as well as learnt how to do specialized reporting on changes in Balkans, southeast Asia and southeast Africa.

The training program aimed to establish a network with other correspondents, to inform participants on issues of diplomatic relations between countries of the region and Turkey’s regional policy approach and to allow participants to compare diplomacy journalism in their country with other countries.

As part of the program, the participants visited TIKA, the Foreign Ministry, the Culture and Tourism Ministry and the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mehmet Ozturk, Anadolu Agency’s editor-in-chief of foreign language services; and Hamit Bircan Mert, the project officer of TIKA, presented the certificates to the participants.

Ozturk said the diplomacy journalism training would be a “reference” for the participants in their future careers.

He also spoke about smear campaign against Turkey.

“But, you have observed Turkey, even if it is for 15 days […] Turkey will continue to be a country that serves humanity. It will side with the oppressed and not the oppressor,” Ozturk said.

He also underlined that the relations established through the training program should be cemented.

Warning against the misinformation by the news agencies, Ozturk asked the participants to always follow the truth and justice, and value the human.

“Because, above all, it is our humanity that makes us valuable,” he said.

Noting the agency’s training for 500 journalists from 50 countries, News Academy’s Deputy Coordinator Hayri Cetinkus said training programs enable the participants to see Turkey and creates a network among journalists from around the world.

Mentioning TIKA’s projects all around the world, Cetinkus said: “One of the best activity [of TIKA] is to contribute to investing in human beings with these kind of activities.”

Among the participants, Tamas Szeremy, an employee in MTVA, an umbrella organization for Hungarian public service media, thanked Anadolu Agency and TIKA for the program.

“We want to emphasize that we are determined to use what we have learned in the past two weeks,” Szeremy said.