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Eight Baku-Based Journalists Graduate from ICFJ's Investigative Training Course
By Charles Rice, ICFJ Trainer | February 1, 2008
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| ICFJ’s Country Director in Baku, Charles Rice, at the graduation ceremony in Baku, holds up a copy of a newspaper that published one of the students’ stories. |
BAKU, AZERBAIJAN - Journalists are normally behind the cameras and microphones, but on Friday, January 31, 2008, eight Baku-based reporters took center stage to celebrate their graduation from the International Center for Journalists’ in-depth investigative reporting training program. The program is a partnership between ICFJ and ANS-TV’s Azerbaijani-American Journalism Academy. It is funded by the US State Department.
The eight journalists completed a rigorous four month training course by ICFJ trainers as well as other local and international trainers. At the ceremony at the University of Languages, American Center, ICFJ’s Country Director in Baku, Charles Rice, said “I believe these journalists now have a greater understanding of journalism and particularly investigative journalism. Their body of work during these past four months attests to their motivation and persistence in getting the story and getting it right.”
U. S. Ambassador Anne Derse, who awarded the journalists their certificates, said in prepared remarks: “Today is an exciting day for all of us. I am delighted to hail a first group of students of the Azerbaijani-American Journalism Academy who successfully completed four months of intensive training in investigative reporting and are now armed with practical skills to become more competent and more professional journalists.”
Ramil Mammadli, one of the graduates, commented that the training has changed his life. He works for APA press agency and had never touched a TV camera or video editing equipment until he took the course. Mr. Mammadli did an investigative TV story about corruption and land sales. “Now I know how to investigate a problem, write it in a professional way and tell it with pictures. So now, I am more marketable in Azerbaijan,” he said.
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| Charles Rice, ICFJ’s Country Director in Baku, speaking at the graduation ceremony for eight |
Vugar Babayev, another graduate, is already seeing rewards for his hard work during the four months of training. His story, “The Forgotten War Veterans,” got the attention of the online news service, IWPR, and as a result, he sold his first story. “The course proved that if you are professional, you can earn your living in journalism,” Babayev said.
The day after classes ended, Babayev, who is also a student at Baku State University, was offered his first job in journalism by ANS publications. He began working for Hesabat magazine on February 1.
Another graduate, Samira Ahmadbeyli took first place honors in a competition sponsored by the mobile phone provider Azercell. She won in the category Best Journalist Investigation, for her story, The Price of Being Disabled, which she wrote during the ICFJ training program. Ms Ahmadbeyli was awarded a laptop computer by Azercell.
The International Center for Journalists will train a total of 24 journalists during the one year program which includes three, four month semesters.
To see more photos of the ceremony, click here.
News Clips from Graduation in Local Press:
Read a story published in ANS' Hesabat Magazine about the graduation (PDF dowload in Azeri)
Read a story published in the Baku newspaper GUN (PDF download in Azeri)
Read a story published in the local Zerkalo newspaper (PDF download in Azeri)
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