The 3rd edition of the Forum of African Journalists (Panafricaines) is focusing on climate change, a crucial issue for the development of the African continent in the coming decades. This theme was chosen because it will be difficult and very costly for Africans to adapt to the future impacts of these changes if urgent action is not taken, as confirmed by the organizing committee at the press conference held in Casablanca.
The organizers believed that effective media coverage can contribute to global awareness, bringing the different countries to grasp the seriousness of the dangers facing them. Therefore, African journalists have no choice but to adopt a proactive stand to inform people and enable them to interact with this phenomenon and, consequently, put pressure on their presidents. Indeed, the media, through the important information they have at their disposal, are able to motivate individuals to change their behavior for the better.
According to the organizers, the next edition of the forum, which will be held in Casablanca on 6 and 7 March, aims to mobilize African media to open public debates on climate change and its impact on African countries, which will contribute to enriching the knowledge of African public opinion about the impact of global warming and the measures to be taken to reduce it and improve the capacity to adapt to it, while spreading a clear vision of environmental challenges and their economic, social and other issues.
The Pan-African Journalists’ Network will be used to strengthen the respect of journalistic rules and ethics when dealing with climate and environmental issues. The opinions coming from this network will also be considered as a force for citizen suggestion, capable of influencing the major media organs for a strong and effective spread of information, while influencing public authorities and decision-makers to put in place public policies aimed at reducing and adapting to climate change.
The 3rd edition of the forum will be attended by 25 news agencies, 61 radio stations, 300 journalists, 67 newspapers, 36 websites and 52 television channels, as well as representatives of public institutions, civil society, international organizations and experts, as confirmed by the organizing committee.
Organized by 2M, the forum will address, through seminars and workshops, a number of environmental topics, including “African initiatives and commitments to adapt to climate change”; “How to achieve energy transformation in Africa”; “Challenges of rational management of water resources”; “Sustainable agriculture: a green economy for Africa”; “Health impact of climate change”; “Waste management” and “Adaptation to climate change: the media as a major actor”.
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