Poland will be the site of an ethnic television festival and a seminar for young journalists who deal with ethnic minority issues in October.

The 2nd International Ethnic Television Festival, called “At Home,” will be held October 14-18 in Krakуw and Przemysl, Poland. The festival is organized by Telewizja Polska, the European Ethnic Broadcasting Association, and the cities of Przemysl and Krakуw in cooperation with the European Broadcasting Union and Circom Regional. English is the official language of the festival.

“For the first time we organized such a festival last year,” said Katarzyna Rytysa, vice director of the festival and coordinator of the journalists’ seminar. “We had participants from all over the world, even from China and New Zealand. Unfortunately nobody from Africa or South America took part in the festival. We want to change it this year.”

The seminar and workshops for young journalists will be October 11-14 in Krakуw. Experts on ethnic minority issues and journalists who deal with them will exchange ideas and experience on methods of presenting such issues on television. Twenty-five participants will be chosen on the basis of their applications, which should be sent to the festival office before the end of August.

At the festival, television reports and documentaries from five to 30 minutes long may be entered in the competition. In some cases, films of up to 50 minutes that are of exceptional cognitive or artistic value may be allowed. To enter a film to the festival, the following should be sent to the festival office before September 10: 1) an application form with all required documents; 2) two copies of the film, one on a Betacam SP tape, one on VHS or SVHS tapes (in PAL or SECAM) with a recorded English translation or English subtitles. If the translation is recorded, the English voice should be on the first soundtrack and original sound on the second (ton MN). It is permissible for the Betacam SP copy to be sent after the contestant is notified whether the film qualifies for the competition. Participants should cover the costs of mailing tapes and documents. They should also cover travel expenses to the festival, and lodging expenses during the event. An international jury will award the Grand Prix, two main prizes and special awards.

“There will be many additional events for the festival participants, both in Krakуw and Przemysl,” Rytysa said.

There will be seminars on journalistic ethics in the face of ethnic conflicts. Other issues to be addressed include objective and partial reporting, multicultural media, ethnic minority organizations, and there will be workshops on picture and word in TV documentaries and reports, ethnic minority issues in news programs, and organizing TV crew work.

“We are going to invite a few worldwide specialists on these issues,” she said.

Among the specialists will be Rick Thompson of Circom Regional, the European Association of Regional Televisions. “I have been asked to conduct three seminars during the journalism workshop,” Thompson said.

For more information about Circom Regional visit www.circom-regio.si/. Festival information is available from Festival Office, Ul. Krzemionki 30, 30-955 Krakуw, Poland. Tel: (48-12) 423-67-36, 261-52-44. Fax: (48-12) 423-67-36. E-mail: ieffestival@kra.tvp.com.pl.