The three-day forum entitled “Asia-Pacific Regional Media Programme” is being co-sponsored by the European Union, Norway, and New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Speakers included former Indonesia foreign minister Ali Alatas, Griffith University's Prof. Michael Wesley, general secretary of International Federation of Journalists Aidan White, Indonesia's former assistant minister/state secretary of foreign affairs Prof. Dewi Fortuna Anwar, and 'the father of the Indonesian media' journalist and author Goenawan Mohamad.
The forum explored how in a time of rapid globalisation and increasing contact – and conflict – between cultures, journalism often has to straddle the 'fault lines' that separate us as peoples.
At times, the media, and journalists themselves, choose simplicity and conciseness over accuracy – particularly where time constraints and available space restrict one's challenge to report on conflict accurately.
The conference being held at the Hotel Mulia Senayan will be followed by a one-day workshop discussing "The Role of Media in Muslim-Western Relations."
The workshop is organized by the New York-based Alliance of Civilizations Secretariat and the Search for Common Ground, a non-governmental organization.
