PFI Training Workshop

Baghdad, July 24 - 25, 2006

IF’s PFI team held a training workshop in Baghdad for 14 NGOs representing 14 Iraqi governorates on July 24 and 25. The training focused on media and political monitoring techniques, which the NGOs could apply in their respective governorates to monitor issues related to the goals and objectives of the Iraq ’s Pledge platform. Training on media monitoring was provided by media experts Dr. Hameed Ga’id, Dr. Hzim Al-Nia’emi, and Dr. Yahya Al-Kubaisi and the orientation was conducted by IF Program Director, Shirouk Abayachi. In addition to the 14 NGOs, the Iraq Foundation invited many MPs, government officials, civil society organizations, and media experts to the workshop as observers. The workshop received wide press and television coverage from Iraqi and international media.

The agenda of the workshop covered two days of training and activities. The first day’s agenda covered a welcome address and orientation to the trainees and guests by Ms. Shirouk Abayachi, IF’s Director of Programs. Then Ms. Suhad Hattab and Ms. Suha Al-Azawi, members of the IP Board, discussed the Iraq’s Pledge initiative and its five laws with the trainees, focusing on explaining the goals and objectives of the project. Ms. Hattab and Ms. Al-Azawi opened a discussion session with the trainees and the guest and answered their questions and inquiries on IP.

After the welcome speeches and introduction the training sessions started. Ms. Shirouk Abayachi focused the training on political monitoring and documentation. Training on media monitoring started after that and continued into the second day of the training. Media experts Dr. Hameed Ga’id, Dr. Hzim Al-Nia’emi and Dr. Yahya Al-Kubaisi conducted the media monitoring training.

Iraq’s Pledge brochure, training manuals, media and political monitoring forms and evaluation forms where among the documents distributed to the trainees. The training workshop was covered extensively by local and international media.