Twenty Spokespersons and press officers of Kosovo Prosecution authorities, courts of all instances, and the Kosovo Police concluded today a four-day training course on mobile journalism and social media management, organized by EULEX in Pristina. The aim of the hands-on training course was to familiarize participants with mobile journalism tools and techniques, and to enhance their skills in managing social media channels to effectively communicate with different target audiences increasing their transparency and outreach.

The Head of EULEX Press Office, Ioanna Lachana, said: “New technologies have really made our work easier. The skilled use of social media and mobile journalism techniques enables us to reach diverse groups of people in large numbers very quickly to help spread the word about our work. ”

Lamija Alečković, mobile journalism trainer, noted that mobile journalism and visual storytelling can improve institutional communication: “Filming, editing, and creating multimedia content is a way of communicating today, especially on social media. Video as a ‘language’, adapted to reach many people, especially younger audiences, can be a great tool for Kosovo institutions to reach out to the public, to inform them, and to become more transparent in their work."

Valon Canhasi, social media management trainer, stressed: “80% of the Kosovo population uses social media on a daily basis. Rule of law institutions can use this type of training to know how to gather data on who is online and what channels these users use to get informed, thereby optimizing the way they communicate with the public through social media.”

To ensure continuity in implementing the knowledge acquired during the training course, EULEX donated professional mobile journalism equipment to all of the participating institutions.

The Spokesperson for Kosovo Police, Baki Kelani, stressed that this training course, delivered by highly experienced trainers, was very important and much needed. “It will help our institutions advance the way we communicate through social media, as an advanced tool of two-way communication.  The knowledge acquired through this training, will enable us to be more proactive in the social media world and also practice the art of mobile journalism to achieve our communication goals,” said Kelani, who also thanked EULEX for the training course and the donated equipment.

Prosecution and courts press officers and spokespersons also noted that that this hands-on training course will lead to an improved public perception of rule of law institutions. “The training course was very useful, as we acquired new skills and knowledge on how to strengthen the professional capacities of the prosecutorial system’s communication sector, increase transparency  and trust among our public,” said Ekrem Lutfiu, Acting Head of the Public Information Office of Kosovo’s Special Prosecution– SPRK.

The visual storytelling and mobile journalism training course and exercises also resulted in tangible results, namely actual videos and digital products that the participants produced themselves.