Yuliya Melnyk, IJNet Russian editor

Journalism students and professors are returning to their universities in the New Independent States after the summer break. And some of them are sharing stories not just about beaches, but also about journalism.

On the grounds of Kazakhstan's Al-Farabi University summer camp, near the lake of Issyk-Kul, a ten-day Russian-Kazakh "summer school" program for aspiring journalists in July focused on “intercultural communication and the creation of ethnic tolerance in media." The program aimed to help participants cover ethnic issues, improve intercultural relations and promote mutual understanding in diverse communities.

The summer school was a project of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University in Almaty, Kazakhstan and the Russian State University for the Humanities (RSUH), in Moscow, Russia. Last week, IJNet spoke to Galiya Zhunusovna Ibrayeva, the Dean of the School of Journalism at Al-Farabi Kazakh about the summer school experience. Professor Ibrayeva has a Ph.D in Political Science from Lomonosov Moscow State University.

The summer program focused on intercultural communication and ethnic tolerance. Among these topics, what is most important to learn, and why?

The students improved their understanding of the importance of intercultural communication and ethnic tolerance. They learned a lot about other nations’ cultures and traditions, especially cultures outside of the New Independent States. Videos, slide-shows, photos and role plays became an important part of lectures and workshops at the school. Such supplemental materials sparked the interest of students to the issues of ethnic tolerance and diversity.

Kazakhstan is a multicultural society that is free of conflict. However, it is very important for journalism students to learn about conflict zones around the world and always understand the positions of all sides of a conflict.

There were assignments for developing speaking skills, logic and developing arguments.

What cultures did you focus on? What skills are most important for Kazakh reporters in terms of ethnic tolerance?

We discussed events on the borders of Kazakhstan, first of all in China. The curriculum included readings from newspapers published in Kazakhstan and in the foreign press, as well as embassy documents. A journalist should understand the great responsibility involved in coverage of ethnic issues and diversity.

The program was a chance to remind students that in Kazakh society there are many ethnic groups that once came here involuntarily. Germans, Chechens, Polish, Ujgurs, Koreans and other ethnic groups were deported [during the Stalin terror]. At the same time, our government is very positive towards all ethnicities, we appreciate that our society includes diversity.

We watched a video made by a Korean American. The movie depicts the deportation of Koreans from the Russian Far East. In winter, the trains dropped people off – women, kids and seniors. At night, despite the fear of being shot, local Kazakhs came to pick up the people, despite the fear of being shot. They brought the guests to their homes, their yurts [the type of a house]. All ethnic groups deported to our land received this warm welcome, shelter and bread.

As such, our students have reason to feel proud of their nation. This material develops critical thinking skills, and the ability to analyze and evaluate new information. Such stories help them better understand political, cultural, religious and social issues.

Are there currently any problems in Kazakhstan -- or Kazakh media -- due to cultural differences?

In Kazakhstan, there are more than 100 ethnic groups. So in order to understand cultural issues, it is crucial to conduct research, including content analysis of media sources. According to research done in 2009, there are no serious ethnic conflicts in the country. Press and TV coverage of ethnic issues have been rather positive this year.

Kazakh law promotes ethnic tolerance in the media. Objectivity of coverage, taking into account the positions of all sides [of a conflict or a situation], is very important to the stability in the community and society.

Was the school affordable for students? Could working reporters participate?

This was the first ever summer school organized by our J-School and we did not invite working journalists. The university provided special discounts for lodging at the lake of Issyk-Kul, and lectures were almost free. I would like to thank the President of the RSUH (Moscow, Russia) Dr. Efim Iosifovich Pivovar for the financial support which made possible the participation of professors from Moscow. And, of course, I would like to thank the management of our university, too.

Could you tell us more about the visiting professors?

The visiting professors are the leading researchers of the RSUH – Ph.D. in Sociology N.P. Malikova, Ph.D. in Political Science L.F. Adilova, and Ph.D. student Ye.A.Irsetskaya.

Lyudmila Fedorovna Adilova is a public relations consultant. She taught training courses for TV anchors and leading reporters, helping them develop their "images" on screen. Some of them will be working in broadcasting and this experience is a good asset for them.

Are journalism students in Kazakhstan finding jobs?

We are doing everything possible to develop partner relations with media outlets -- the future employers of our students. Working journalists are invited into our classrooms, they share their experiences and teach seminars. This helps fill the gap between the university and the industry. The industry is becoming more and more demanding.

At out university we have state-of-the-art equipment to produce TV and radio programs and publications. Many of our senior students know their job placements before graduation. They are joining the media industry gradually. There are more than 8,000 media outlets registered in Kazakhstan, but only about 2,000 of them are really active.

For more information, go to http://rggu.com/news.html?id=90054