Between 4 and 8 August 2014, in Kinshasa and Goma, MONUSCO Public Information Officers, including Radio Okapi journalists, attended a training workshop aimed at providing them with new digital communication and social media skills in today’s rapidly changing media landscape

Jon Greenway, a New York-based UN expert, led the workshop with training modules focusing on: the changing culture of communication; running websites and producing content; optimizing web presence, web policy; social media skills; media monitoring and communication campaigns.

The participants expressed their gratitude to the Public Information Division (PID) Director, Charles Bambara, for the idea to continuously arm them with new media skills so as to better serve MONUSCO and the United Nations as a whole.

Mr. Bambara, for his part, expressed satisfaction at the high level of participation by the staff. He also thanked the trainer, Jon Greenway, for taking time out for this training event, despite his tight schedule in New York.

The PID Director also encouraged his colleagues to use the skills acquired to increase the presence of MONUSCO, the UN’s largest peacekeeping mission, in the major national and international media.

The participating Public Information Officers were from Kinshasa, Bunia, Kalemie, Kisangani and Bukavu. While the Military Public Information Officers (MPIOs) included the MONUSCO Military Spokesperson, the Congolese armed forces (FARDC) Spokesperson, as well as the North Kivu Brigade MPIO and UN Police Gender Focal Points. Radio Okapi journalists also participated.

Martha Biongo/PIO Goma