Senior journalists from the Asia-Pacific region are invited to apply to take part in the inaugural Asia-Pacific Regional Media Programme.

Forty journalists will be selected for the seminar-based programme, which will focus on the role and work of the news media in reporting issues at the intersection of politics, religion and culture. Sessions will focus on subjects including:

• The role of news media at the crossroads between cultures
• Coverage of wars and conflicts
• The place of ‘new media’ and citizen journalism, and
• The daily challenges and opportunities facing journalists working on inter-cultural issues.

Participants will have all non-salary costs paid by the organisers.

The programme is part of the Asia-Pacific region’s response to the Alliance of Civilisations (AOC) – a United Nations-led initiative to address polarisation between cultures and societies. The programme is being organised by the New Zealand Government, with co-funding from the Norwegian Government and the European Union. It is also supported by the East Asia Summit, the Government of Indonesia and the Indonesian Press Council.

A separate one-day workshop on The Role of Media in Muslim-Western Relations, organised by the AOC and the Search for Common Ground NGO, will follow the programme.   A background note and agenda for this workshop are also attached. All those accepted for the Asia-Pacific Regional Media Programme are eligible - and encouraged - to attend this workshop.