Today Center for Democracy and Rule of law (Media Law Institute) has launched XII International Media Law Summer School in Kyiv.
28 participants from 7 countries of the former Soviet Union space came to Kyiv for three weeks to study media law. Lectures and practical workshops will be concluded with the model of court hearing (Moot Court).
Among top speakers of this year Summer School are Richard Winfield, a co-founder and board member of the International Senior Lawyers Project (USA), Natasha Pirč-Musar, Information Commissioner of Slovenia in retirement and Expert of Council of Europe, and Barbora Bukovsky, Head of ARTICLE 19.
“When in 2005 we established Media Law Institute, training of lawyers in the area of media law was our primary goal. In 5 months, we organized the first media law summer school. In 2006, it became an international one”, – told the participants of the Summer School the director of Center for Democracy and Rule of law, Taras Shevchenko.
In addition, he noted that at that time there were very few lawyers in media law. Organizers of the study, Media Law Institute team, understood that every lawyer can help a bigger number of journalists through consultation or legal protection, as well as through legislative activities. Taras Shevchenko said that since 2005 Media Law Institute held 11 Media Law Summer schools. For this entire period of time, more than 280 participants graduated from MLSS from the following countries: Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Belarus, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia and Kyrgyzstan.
He also thanked the partners who over the years supported this educational project: NGO International Media Support (IMS), “Internews” Network, International Foundation “Renaissance”, IREX Europe, Sweden Government and Office of the Council of Europe in Ukraine.
Participants and organizers of the XII International Media Law Summer School (MLSS) congratulated Chairman of Office of the Council of Europe in Ukraine Мårten Ehnberg.
“I hope that knowledge received at this Summer School will be useful not only to you but also to your colleagues and friends. It is nice that the MLSS graduates are already now working at various positions in government bodies. I am grateful Media Law Institute for the fact that for 12 years lawyers come together and discuss the implementation of various important legislative acts and documents of media law“, – emphasized Мårten Ehnberg.
Among key achievements in media sector, mr. Ehnberg named the adoption of laws on public broadcasting in Ukraine, media ownership transparency and reform of the printed press. An important law on audiovisual media services is in the process of development.
Council of Europe in Ukraine currently supports the creation of public broadcaster.
“Lawyers need to improve skills and know about media standards. I am confident that the knowledge gained at the Summer School, will be useful to you”, – concluded the Chairman of the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine.
Olga Sedova, Programme Officer at Embassy of Sweden congratulated everyone with the opening of the Summer School:
“This school is a major educational project and a tremendous work of the team, a chance to bring your activity, organization or country to the next level in media area. The study program includes lectures of powerful speakers-practitioners and hence it provides you with all chances for rapid professional growth”.
The main speaker’s advice participants of MLSS is to continue communication with each other and creation of a network.
Denis Azarov, Dean of the Law Science Faculty at National University of “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy” joined the “greeting” team and welcome the participations of XII MLSS: “Surely you are the smartest lawyers in the world; they say a lawyer knows how to do, and journalist – how to present. You combine these two components. I wish you to take the most out of this school and not to lose contact with each other”.