From 8 to 9 June, the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) has organized a two-day workshop on “Mobile Journalism and Communication with Journalists” for 16 spokespersons and press officers from the Kosovo Police, the Police Inspectorate of Kosovo, the Kosovo Correctional Service, the Kosovo Institute of Forensic Medicine, the Ministry of Justice, and the Information and Privacy Agency.

The training aimed at equipping the participants with both the theoretical and practical digital communication skills required to establish easier and faster ways of informing and communicating with citizens, helping Kosovo institutions increase their transparency and outreach and better showcase the results of their work and the positive impact on the lives of Kosovo citizens.

The mobile journalism expert, Lorin Kadiu, explained to the participants the importance of reaching out to different target audiences not only through traditional channels, but also using social networks and digital platforms.

Kadiu’s sessions focused on photography, visual storytelling and video and photo editing, with a strong emphasis on the usage of smartphones and mobile applications for creating prompt and engaging content.  EULEX donated new smartphones and IT equipment - such as microphones, gimbals and tripods - to the rule of law institutions who joined the training in order to ensure that they could learn by doing and start creating their first multimedia content already during the workshop.  

"We have worked intensively these two days to go through all stages of production and get the necessary knowledge so that participants could immediately start working and create their communication products," Kadiu said.

During the training, the participants also learned about best practices in communicating with the media from Kreshnik Gashi, a seasoned Kosovo journalist.

“Nowadays, the information technology offers new, easier and quicker tools to disseminate news. Unfortunately, these new technologies are widely used by those who spread disinformation and harmful narratives,” Gashi said, adding how: “It is imperative for people who work in the field of communication with the public to be able to fight misinformation reaching out to the citizens with timely and transparent communication activities.”

The Chief of Information, Communication and Analysis Sector of the Kosovo Police, Luljeta Mehmeti, emphasized how the workshop has been very useful.

“This training has not only equipped me with new technical skills on how to use digital equipment to produce multimedia mobile content, but I also believe that it will help me promote the values of the Kosovo Police by communicating successful stories to the public,” she said.