OSCE Centre organizes communications training for national and municipal government spokespersons in Kyrgyzstan
BISHKEK, 23 September 2010 - Effective communications during crises and co-operation with the media and the public is the focus of a training course for spokespersons from Kyrgyzstan's ministries and agencies that started in Bishkek today.
The three-day event is organized by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek in co-operation with the Government of Kyrgyzstan. International experts from the UK-based consultancy Media Train are teaching the interactive course, which covers both theory and practice and incorporates case studies from Kyrgyzstan as well as other countries.
The event is part of a wider project on "Addressing the Information and Communication Vacuum in the South of Kyrgyzstan", developed by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek as a direct response to a request by the Kyrgyz President. It seeks to contribute to stabilization efforts by enhancing the capacity of the Government as well as media outlets to provide citizens in the South and the country in general, with reliable, factual and up-to-date information.
Ambassador Andrew Tesoriere, the Head of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek, said: "Both public and official representatives within Kyrgyzstan have repeatedly alluded to an "information vacuum" in the aftermath of the April and June internal unrest, and this training course is an important initiative to address this gap. The OSCE Centre, in close consultation with Government and wider stakeholders, has designed these professional training courses to enable the Government to communicate more effectively with the public and thereby strengthen national stability and public confidence."
Emilbek Kaptagaev, the Chief of Staff to Kyrgyzstan's President, said: "Recent events in Kyrgyzstan have shown that misinformation can be used to create confusion and panic. Kyrgyzstan has one of the best laws on access to information for the public, but press officers need to improve their knowledge and skills to implement this law fully. We need to strengthen the culture of interaction with journalists and civil society activists. We must understand that the stability of the country depends on each of us, and we must work towards being the first to take the information initiative.
The first day of the workshop is designed for senior officials who supervise spokespersons, while the final two days will be devoted to training for the spokespersons themselves. The participants will learn to work more effectively with the media, prepare communication strategies, draft statements for media use, as well as improve their skills in giving interviews and holding press conferences. The spokespersons will also discuss the importance of reaching out to a wider audience, and on using information as a critical stabilizing instrument in crisis situations.