With Cairo Reporters!

Meeting a group of Cairo-reporters and discussing election coverage and critical news-reporting was both fascinating, mind-provoking and very illuminating. Coming from and working in a well functioning democracy and finely tuned welfare state, it was the task to pass on experiences and advice to reporters in a nation very much in the middle of a period of transition going from a one-party rule to a series of parliamentarian election rounds, the writing of a constitution and presidential elections. Needless to say, things didn’t quite match up!

But during our two days together, we had a meaningful and fruitful debate on all issues including many mutual beneficial exchanges of views and ideas. And if the idea was only for the Egyptian participants to leave the seminar better professionally equipped, there was a big extra bonus in the shape of the Danish participants’ leaving the seminar with a clear insight into the challenges that not only the Egyptian press, but the whole society faces in the coming months and years.

I sincerely hope that the Egyptian reporters gained inspiration, ideas and ambition in their admirable efforts to contribute to the shaping of a new, democratic and transparent Egypt.

This participant story was written by Ask Rostrup, Political Editor at the Danish Broadcasting Cooperation DR, after participating in the Journalism Political Seminar organized by the Danish Egyptian Dialogue Institute on November 14^th and 15^th. The seminar, which gathered Danish and Egyptian reporters and editors, focused on critical journalism in democracy and the mechanisms of covering elections. It also discussed the role and impact of journalism in a democracy as well as the relationship between politicians and journalists.