Seminars for Ukrainian journalists “2015 Local Elections: Novelties of Legislation and Coverage in Mass Media”

On 24 September - 08 October 2015, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine will hold a series of two-day regional seminars for practicing journalists concerning novelties of electoral legislation and the coverage of the 2015 Local Elections in mass media.

At the events, the participants will learn about the new electoral system, discuss professional and ethical standards of journalism (sponsored journalism and censorship problems), legislative regulation of election campaigns, rights and obligations of journalists and access to information. The participants will examine voting, vote counting and tabulation procedures at the local elections. A particular focus will be placed on liability for violating electoral laws and the safety of journalists. At the end of the seminar, the participants will perform practical tasks in groups.

Journalists working with mass media, including information agencies and Internet media, who intend and have an opportunity to highlight the electoral process in a mass media in a relevant region are invited to engage in the seminars.

Participating in the seminar requires filling in a questionnaire. If you have any questions about the filling in of the questionnaire, please contact our regional coordinators (see below). 125 journalists selected by the criteria of experience, motivation and correspondence of the provided materials to the Ukrainian Journalism Ethics Code will be invited to participate in the seminars.

The schedule of the seminars is as follows: 
24-25 September – Lviv, journalists working in mass media in Volynska, Zakarpatska, Ivano-Frankivska, Lvivska, Rivnenska, Ternopilska, Chernivetska and Khmelnytska Oblasts are invited.

Seminar Coordinator in Lviv: Oksana Kuzenko, (097)398-1254, okuzenko@gmail.com.

28-29 September – Odesa, journalists working in mass media in Odeska, Khersonska and Mykolayivska Oblasts are invited.

Seminar Coordinator in Odesa: Nadiya Bondarenko, (097)895-5998, bondarenko.nadiya23@gmail.com.

01-02 October – Kyiv, journalists working in mass media in Vinnytska, Zhytomyrska, Kyivska, Chernihivska, Cherkaska Oblasts and the City of Kyiv are invited.

Seminar Coordinator in Kyiv: Darya Sachkova, (097)221-3143, darya.sachkova@gmail.com.

05-06 October – Dnipropetrovsk, journalists working in mass media in Dnipropetrovska, Donetska, Zaporizka, Kirovohradska and Poltavska Oblasts.

Seminar Coordinator in Dnipropetrovsk: Nataliya Vygovskaya, (099)118-3445, electionseminar2015@gmail.com.

07-08 October – Kharkiv, journalists working in mass media in Donetska, Luhanska, Poltavska, Sumska and Kharkivska Oblasts.

Seminar Coordinator in Kharkiv: Nataliya Slyusar, (095)002-4453, training.coordinator.kh@gmail.com.

The organizer of the seminars will provide the participants with hotel accommodation and meals, and, when required, will reimburse transportation costs associated with travelling to the venue of the seminar.

Seminars are held within the framework of the Project “Developing Election Training Capacity and Enhancing Voter Awareness” implemented by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine in co-operation with and upon the request of the Central Election Commission with the support of the Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Norway and the Government of the Kingdom of Denmark.