Tag: Kosovo

A total of 18 journalists from Albania, Kosovo, Serbia, and Bosnia, 14 of whom were women, attended.

Over three days, the participants became familiar with fact-checking and verification tools and studied in-depth investigations from the region.

The first day started with an introduction to the training and project given by Arita Suhodolli, Program Manager at BIRN Kosovo.

The first session was held by Visar Prebreza, managing editor of investigations and fact-checking at KALLXO.com, who spoke about the critical role of investigative journalism in holding powerful individuals and institutions accountable.

Participants learned more how impactful reporting can expose corruption and influence tangible change, with a special focus on case studies of high-profile investigations made by KALLXO.com that led to arrests and legal action.

The second and third sessions were held by Ximena Villagrán, Chief Operating Officer at Maldita.es.

She addressed the global challenges posed by disinformation, where sensationalism and clickbait often dominate the media landscape, undermining the credibility of fact-based journalism. This session explored the crucial role that fact-checking and investigative journalism play in countering false narratives and fostering resilience against malign influences.

Ximena Villagrán spoke also about the innovative tools for engaging younger audiences together with her colleague, Alba Moreno, who spoke about the Factous page launched by Maldita.es itself, a social media page mainly on Instagram, Tiktok and YouTube Shorts.

This initiative aims to guarantee access to information for all people, and awaken the interest of young people in issues that affect them most: politics, economy, culture.

According to them, the page was launched to provide citizens with reliable content based on evidence, facts and data that refutes misinformation and addresses citizens’ information queries with varied and accessible formats, creating a more resilient, accessible and reliable information and media ecosystem.

Moreno explained that the objective is to bring current events closer to younger people using friendly and informal language but without neglecting rigour.

The second day continued with Ylli Buleshkaj, Director of the Agency for Prevention of Corruption, who spoke about the role of whistleblowers and how to protect them.

Buleshkaj gave best practices of protecting whistleblowers based on legal principles and models from regulatory bodies.

The second session was held by Faik Ispahiu, Executive Director of Internews Kosova and TV Producer, who spoke about the art of visual storytelling in TV investigations, showing how to combine compelling narratives with engaging visuals.

Ispahiu spoke also about the creation of a media platform using information technology where citizens can report on corruption and organised crime and the protection of whistleblowers within organised crime groups and cross-border crime.

The fourth session was held by Xhorxhina Bami, editor and journalist at BIRN, who spoke about her investigations on cyberbullying networks within the Balkans including the protection and security of journalists while reporting on the topic and the case of weapons confiscated during the Banjska attack in Kosovo in 2023.

The third day started with a session on tackling inter-ethnic disinformation  from Russia and China within the region, held by Dren Gerguri, lecturer at the University of Prishtina’s Department of Journalism.

He also spoke about the online tools that are being used by AI to identify manipulated materials and news spread online.

Fatjona Mejdini, Director of the South Eastern Europe Observatory, Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, spoke about her in-depth investigation of drug networks from Ecuador in Europe and Western Balkans.

The training closed with a presentation by Arita Suhodolli, Program Manager at BIRN on the Fellowship program.

The training course was held as part of the EU-funded project Strengthening Quality News and Independent Journalism in the Western Balkans and Turkey II.

His film, titled “Centro di Permanenza Temporanea”, which is Italian and translates to “Temporary Detention Center”, refers to the Italian temporary camps for undocumented immigrants, evoking a paradox between temporary and permanent existence.

On the 2nd of October, Adrian Paci joined BIRN Kosovo at Reporting House, in an inspiring work, which explores themes of identity, migration, and political transformation, reflecting Paci’s own journey of displacement.

Paci’s work challenges viewers to contemplate the state of those waiting for a fight to nowhere, trapped between the transitory and the fixed. It symbolizes the broader dislocation experienced by migrants worldwide. His work has been featured at the Venice Biennale and in major collections like MoMA and the Guggenheim.

Currently his work is exhibited at Reporting House. His work is significant as displacement and migration is a constant outcome of conflicts and wars.

The discussion with Paci, provided a unique opportunity for over 60 participants, especially in the field of arts, to engage with Paci’s insights and work, and a very personal story of the journey of an artist of displacement and rediscovery.

“Centro di Permanenza Temporanea” is being screened at Reporting House and is open for visitors – from Tuesday to Saturday, starting from 10 am to 6 pm – at the former Germia Department Store Building in the center of Prishtina/Kosovo.

The panel discussion “25 Years of German-Kosovar Partnership Marked at Reporting House”, organized in partnership with the German Embassy in Prishtina, gathered hundreds of participants from politics, media, civil society, and diplomats.

Moderated by Michael Martens, from the renowned German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, the panel included key voices on this discussion, such as Manuel Sarrazin, the German Federal Government Special Representative for the Western Balkans; Donika Emini, Senior Security Expert and Researcher, and publicist Veton Surroi.

The discussion highlighted Germany’s crucial role during the Kosovo War and the state-building process, its significant financial and political investments, and the ongoing challenges and expectations that have shaped the partnership between the two nations since 1990.

As the focus shifted to the future, the speakers stressed the importance of continued collaboration to tackle current European challenges, including the integration process for the Western Balkans.

BIRN Kosovo held a workshop for local groups on how to effectively monitor terrorism and violent extremism.

The workshop, in Prishtina on September 30, was attended by local NGOs and representatives of local civil society organisations (CSOs).

It began with participants from CSOs giving an overview of their work and interest in the field of preventing and countering violent extremism. There was a short presentation on the current situation regarding terrorism and extremism in Kosovo. This was followed by an explanation of the National Strategy for Preventing and Countering Terrorism, with a focus on developing monitoring and research projects on this topic.

During the workshop, Kreshnik Gashi, Managing Editor of Kallxo.com, an online platform which exposes corruption, discussed how the national strategy, which runs from 2023 to 2028, is being implemented at a local level.

Milot Sfishta, from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, provided an overview of how and where terrorism and extremism were impacting Kosovo, and how the government could collaborate with CSOs in addressing these issues.

The workshop was part of the Resilient Community Programme funded by the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF). 

Overmatter 

focused on the development of monitoring and research projects in the fields of terrorism and extremism. A total of 12 participants took part in the one-day, focused workshop focused on the field of preventing and countering violent extremism, out of which 4 were women.
During the workshop, the attendees were engaged and expressed their opinions that such workshops are very important for them as they continue working in the civil society sector in the local level.

The opening event was held at the historic Hamam of Prishtina and included a discussion with the artists on her photography, which captures the social life from different regions of Kosovo during the 1980s and 1990s.

The artist explained to the audience that her series of photography “Bathers” is a very personal series, as it reflects her reconnection with her father from whom she was separated when she was 4 years old.

“This series of photographs is very poignant for me because it was a journey I undertook with my father and he was sharing his love of architecture with me in the 1980s and 90s. What I saw was his enthusiasm and joy in architecture. What I experienced are these photographs”, said Meredith Vula.

Her father worked in Kosovo’s Institution for Protection of Monuments, specializing in preserving old hammams. As he introduced her to this world, Vula began documenting the disuse of the Prishtina Hamam, later photographing bathers at a functioning Hamam near the Albanian-Macedonian border and photographed those bathers who are returned to a hamam today, as they experienced it then, four decades ago.

In “Bathers,” Vula challenges traditional artistic representations of women bathing, offering a modern, spontaneous perspective.

“In my research, I stumbled into a hidden dream world of calm and purity, a safe place of mysterious beauty. These photographs are dedicated to the hope and beauty which I found amongst these women” said Vula.

This event gathered artists, civil society representatives, architects, and media.

Lala Meredith Vula’s exhibition will be open at Prishtinas Hamma, during October, from Monday to Saturday.

Organised by the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN Kosovo) and the Kosovar Center for Security Studies (KCSS), the training focused on equipping participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to identify and counter misleading narratives that threaten local communities.

The first session, led by Labinot Leposhtica from BIRN Kosovo, addressed the influence of Russian and Chinese disinformation on Kosovo’s media and justice systems.

Leposhtica discussed how disinformation campaigns, often orchestrated by foreign powers, aim to destabilize the region by undermining trust in institutions and spreading false narratives.

He provided examples of how these actors manipulate information, particularly regarding the justice system, and introduced mechanisms for regulation and self-regulation that can help counter these efforts.

Students learned to differentiate between disinformation, misinformation and narratives, and were given practical tools to spot and debunk false narratives spread by state-controlled foreign media.

The second session, led by Skënder Perteshi from KCSS, shifted the focus to religious disinformation. Perteshi discussed how radical religious groups in Kosovo and abroad use disinformation as a strategic tool to promote extremist ideologies.

Participants were introduced to the various narratives used by these groups to mislead vulnerable audiences as well as the strategic goals these groups aim to achieve through disinformation.

Perteshi emphasized the importance of understanding the target audiences of religious disinformation and provided strategies for building positive alternative narratives to counteract extremist messaging.

The session also covered how secularism, democracy and the rule of law are often attacked by such disinformation campaigns, and how individuals can protect themselves and their communities from being misled​.

By the end of the training, students gained a stronger understanding of the dynamics of disinformation and were better prepared to act as critical consumers of information.

Leposhtica and Perteshi emphasized that tackling disinformation requires active participation from the community, especially from young people who play a key role in shaping Kosovo’s future.

The training was held by BIRN Kosovo and KCSS within the project “Increasing public awareness on Russian, Chinese influence and religious disinformation and equipping media students and journalists with the necessary tools to identify, analyze, and combat disinformation”, supported through the Digital Activism Program by TechSoup Global.

The training aimed to empower students with the knowledge and tools they need to identify and combat disinformation, particularly narratives originating from Russia and China, and religious ideologies.

The training tackled the complex nature of disinformation. The first session focused on foreign influence, specifically Russian and Chinese disinformation, and the second addressed religious-based misinformation that often targets vulnerable communities in Kosovo.

Visar Prebreza, from BIRN Kosovo, led the discussion on Russian and Chinese disinformation. He provided a deep dive into how foreign powers, especially Kremlin-led and Chinese state-controlled media, have disseminated misleading narratives that affect local perceptions in Kosovo.

Prebreza highlighted the challenges that Kosovo’s media face when addressing such disinformation. He walked participants through the key elements of identifying false narratives and offered real-world examples of how these tactics play out in the Kosovo media landscape.

Skënder Perteshi, from KCSS, led the second session, on how extremist religious groups use disinformation as a tool to spread radical ideologies.

In his presentation, he outlined the various strategies these groups use, including targeting specific audiences with narratives designed to undermine secularism, democracy and the rule of law in Kosovo.

He also explored the broader strategic goals of radical religious actors and how their disinformation campaigns aim to divide communities.

The session concluded with practical advice on how to build positive counter-narratives to disinformation and promote unity​.

The training allowed the students to engage directly with experts and discuss the role of media literacy in defending against disinformation.

Prebreza and Perteshi both emphasized the importance of youth involvement in creating resilient communities capable of identifying and responding to misleading information.

This training was held by BIRN Kosovo and KCSS within the project “Increasing public awareness on Russian, Chinese influence and religious disinformation and equipping media students and journalists with the necessary tools to identify, analyze, and combat disinformation”, supported through the Digital Activism Program by TechSoup Global.

The training aimed to provide practical tools and knowledge to identify and counter Russian, Chinese and religious disinformation in Kosovo.

The first day of the training, led by Skënder Perteshi from KCSS, focused on the context of religious radicalization and extremism in Kosovo and the broader region.

Perteshi highlighted the ways in which extremist groups, both Islamist and Orthodox Christian, utilize disinformation to promote their radical agendas. He discussed how these narratives often target vulnerable populations, aiming to disrupt secularism, democracy and social harmony.

The session explored key topics, such as the dynamics of religious extremism and online radicalization, how extremist groups use disinformation as a tool for recruitment and the importance of developing counter-narratives to combat extremism and false information.

Participants engaged in discussions about the real-world impact of religious disinformation on Kosovo’s communities and how journalists can play a crucial role in exposing and countering these harmful narratives.

On the second day, Visar Prebreza from BIRN Kosovo, introduced participants to the historical and ongoing influence of Russian and Chinese disinformation in Kosovo and the wider Balkans. Prebreza, an expert in fact-checking and disinformation mapping, delved into how these foreign actors use propaganda to shape public opinion and destabilize political and social environments.

Key topics of the second day included: the strategic objectives behind Russian and Chinese-driven disinformation campaigns in the Balkans; the role of investigative journalism in identifying and exposing sources of disinformation; how local media can strengthen their internal capacities to resist and counteract fake news.

Participants were encouraged to think critically about how disinformation affects Kosovo’s political landscape, especially in terms of electoral processes, public trust in institutions and media freedom. The session also emphasized the importance of building a professional foundation in fact-checking and sourcing reliable information.

The training concluded with participants working in groups to develop ideas for citizen activism against disinformation. The focus was on creating community-driven initiatives that empower individuals to recognize and reject false information.

This training was held by BIRN Kosovo and KCSS within the project “Increasing public awareness on Russian, Chinese influence and religious disinformation and equipping media students and journalists with the necessary tools to identify, analyze, and combat disinformation”, supported through the Digital Activism Program by TechSoup Global.

Led by experts from the Kosovo Centre for Security Studies (KCSS) and the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN Kosovo), the event focused on equipping the participants with practical tools to identify and counter false narratives.

Skënder Perteshi, a researcher at KCSS, opened the training by discussing the strategic aims of radical religious organisations that use disinformation as a tool to undermine democratic institutions. Perteshi highlighted that these actors often target vulnerable audiences by spreading narratives designed to erode trust in secularism, democracy and the rule of law.

The second part of the training, led by Labinot Leposhtica, from BIRN Kosovo, shifted the focus to Russian and Chinese disinformation in Kosovo.

Leposhtica emphasized the global disinformation tactics used by these foreign actors to destabilize regions and influence public opinion. He presented several cases of how Russian and Chinese narratives have infiltrated media platforms in Kosovo.

The training was designed to be more than just a theoretical discussion; participants were actively involved in discussions. They were encouraged to question the information they consume and were provided with methods to fact-check and validate sources.

In addition to combating disinformation, the session underscored the importance of promoting a free and independent media in Kosovo. Perteshi and Leposhtica emphasized the need for ongoing vigilance, especially as foreign actors continue to exploit digital platforms to spread misleading information.

Students underlined that the need for these trainings is critical, as they are increasingly exposed to disinformation from various media channels. Such sessions help equip them with the skills to critically analyze information, identify false narratives and understand the strategies used by foreign and radical actors to manipulate public opinion.

This training was held by BIRN Kosovo and KCSS within the project “Increasing public awareness on Russian, Chinese influence and religious disinformation and equipping media students and journalists with the necessary tools to identify, analyze, and combat disinformation”, supported through the Digital Activism Program by TechSoup Global.

BIRN Kosovo has opened a new call for applications for the second two-day training course on investigative reporting and fact-checking, as part of the EU-funded project ‘Strengthening Quality News and Independent Journalism in the Western Balkans and Turkey II’.

​​Fake news and well-planned disinformation campaigns have affected elections in both established and emerging democracies recently, undermining international responses to crises like the COVID-19 pandemic and the conflicts worldwide. Disinformation and fake news are a global problem that has recently affected Western Balkan nations as well.

Fake news is spreading more widely on social media as a result of the conflicts taking place currently, as nations aim to gain more sway over one another in the area. Aside from the conflicts, regional media outlets have taken advantage of any chance to disseminate false information, especially when it comes to the dynamics among the Western Balkan nations.

As one of the only media organisations in Kosovo that is part of the International Fact-Checking Network, the mission of BIRN Kosovo is to extend its fact-checking policies and knowledge to other national and regional media outlets.

This training course will help tackle fake news and unverified reporting by helping journalists learn how to spot fake news and provide verified information that adheres to journalistic standards. The knowledge delivered will be of a practical nature and will draw on the unique experiences of journalists who have successfully developed such skills in similar environments.

BIRN will invite different regional and international media professionals to administer the training course and share their knowledge and experience with the participants. 

Note:

Following the training, participants will have the opportunity to be part of a Fellowship Program for writing articles on cross-border investigations and fact-checking.

 Who can apply?

Final-year journalism students, recent graduates, and young and professional journalists from the Western Balkan countries including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia.

How to apply?

All applications should be submitted in English before September 15, 2024, at midnight Central European Time to [email protected] along with the following documents:

• Applicant’s CV
• Motivation Letter (up to 500 words)

Applicants who do not have any published work can submit their student assignments from practical courses in journalism. The motivation letter should provide information regarding the applicants’ opinion and knowledge on the topic and should not exceed 400 words.

Location:

The training will take place in Kosovo. Details regarding the specific location, agenda and accommodation will only be provided to selected participants.

Deadline for applications: 12:00, Central European Time, on September 15, 2024

Date of the training course: 11-13 October 2024

Remarks:

Travel costs and accommodation will be covered by BIRN.