The last week of March was dedicated at the SAJ to the course of Environmental Journalism. In those five days, students analyzed TV reports on topics of ecology, worked to identify topics, read laws and regulations, studied the websites of public institutions and specialized NGOs and, of course, wrote articles. Students worked together with Lilia Curchi, coordinating editor of the “Natura” magazine and executive director of the Association of Environment and Ecotourism Journalists.

To initiate students in ecology and to help them write correctly about the environment, the trainer organized two working visits. The first destination was the Ministry of Environment. With Victor Morgoci, Deputy Minister of Environment, young people discussed the most serious problems in the field; they also found out about the measures the Ministry undertakes to solve them and asked about the situation with the hydroelectric station in Novodnestrovsk. Their next visit was to the State Hydrometeorological Service. Mihail Roibu, director of the institution, spoke to students about the monitoring of natural phenomena. Young people were interested to learn more about climate change and how it will influence us in the future.

Among other relevant experts in the field, during the course SAJ students met Iuliana Cantaragiu, project manager at the National Environmental Center. She spoke to future journalists about the importance of media coverage of environmental topics. Then, from Silvia Ursul, responsible for projects and communication at the Society for the Protection of Birds and Nature, young people learned about the mistakes that journalists make when addressing environmental issues.

In the five days of the course, students did three practical works – a news story, an article and an infographic. In the end, Lilia Curchi urged them to be very attentive to details when they get to write about the environment. “Research the topic and check all information,” she said.

On Monday, the School of Advanced Journalism starts the course of social journalism.