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and how to strengthen both the statutory and self regulatory systems in BiH as well advising on the Digital Terrestrial Television switch over.
to international communications regulators and operators
Albany Associates in cooperation with UNESCO delivered its third highly successful Master Class in Broadcasting Regulation in Paris, France between 24-26 March 2010. Representatives of broadcasting regulators and operators from Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Trinidad and Tobago, Thailand, Rwanda, Montenegro, Bhutan and Iraq gathered to exchange experiences and discuss broadcast regulation during elections. The Master Class provided delegates with in-depth analysis and knowledge of international and comparative law and standards; the application of media rules during elections; monitoring, compliance and enforcement; and political advertisements. It also examined new and emerging issues such as the use of social networking technologies and how new media tools support election campaigns.
Opening remarks were presented by the Deputy Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information, Mr .Mogens Schmidt, and Albany Director Dieter Loraine. Miss Kunrada Chaisorm, attending from the Office of The National Telecommunications Commission in Thailand said, 'The class is great. I learned a lot from the class discussion/interaction”. Albany Associates anticipates running similar regional events in 2010 and an international Masterclass in 2011. For more information on our training programmes and to receive updates on future events please contact Anna Staevska at anna@albanyassociates.com
This week-long course for IHEC, which took place in Erbil, Iraq, included instruction on interview skills, organising press conference, and drafting press releases. Interviews were simulated and recorded for review by the group.
At the same time, Albany has been training Iraq’s Communications and Media Commission on media monitoring, in a combination of classroom style instruction in Erbil and in-house consultancy at the CMC’s headquarters in Baghdad.
Albany’s partner on this project is the Institute of War and Peace Reporting. These activities have been funded by the United States Department of Stateand UNESCO Iraq.
Albany Associates is delighted to announce the opening of its London office on 4th March 2010. Albany Associates was founded by Simon Haselock and Dieter Loraine in 2004 and began by providing services in public information and media regulation for international clients, primarily in the Balkans. Since then, from its base in Plymouth, Albany has evolved into a highly respected communications company providing services in strategic communications, media development and regulatory frameworks throughout the Middle East, Africa and Asia supported by its offices in Amman, Khartoum, Beirut and more recently Nairobi.
Albany has worked on strategic communications assignments for a range of clients including governments and international institutions, such as the UN. Whilst operating in the world’s most challenging environments including Iraq, Somalia, Afghanistan, Sudan, Kosovo, Sierra Leone and Lebanon, it has also provided professional training and institutional capacity building for media regulatory institutions in Rwanda, Jordan, UAE, Romania and Bosnia.
Albany’s new London office will be particularly significant in positioning its products and services at the heart of the UK Government and other international organisations, in facilitating its clients’ needs.
Albany Director, Simon Haselock said: “The growth and relevance of Albany in our chosen market: countries emerging from violent conflict – has been incredible and having a new base in London is crucial to the next step of Albany’s development and will certainly facilitate a better working relationship with our current and future clients”.
The new office can be found at 111 Buckingham Palace Road, London, SW1W 0SR.
For further information please contact Dieter Loraine on 01752 604211
Whilst taking into account understood methodologies in the traditional issues of broadcast regulation, this course will focus on emerging issues, including broadcasting standards during election periods, the role of the broadcasting regulator, media monitoring and political advertising.
The course will cover:
- International and comparative law and standards
- Why the issue of media during elections is so important
- The role of the private and public broadcasters-airtime, debates and voter education
- Broadcast standards during elections period
- Monitoring, compliance and enforcement
- Procedures for handling complaints
- Social networking technologies and the use of new media in elections
- Problem solving exercises using case studies
We are expecting delegates from Bhutan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Kenya, Kuwait, Malawi, Montenegro, Nigeria, Panama, Sierra Leone, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago and Rwanda.
For more information and to book online, please click here:
Dieter and Sandra will carry out a full training and capacity needs assessment for all aspects of MHC’s operations, including its structure, responsibilities, human resource management and licensee and stakeholder communications. The needs assessment will be used to prepare proposals to address the identified gaps in staffing, competencies and regulatory instruments to strengthen the MHC’s capacity and effectiveness as it establishes itself as the country’s principal independent media regulatory authority.
This is the first of two consulting trips to Kigali. The next one will be in mid-March.
The survey will also investigate the use of the civil courts and canvas opinion and trust in the justice system overall. The results willl inform Albany's Media Strategy towards promoting three Pilot Courts across Iraq, one each in Erbil, Baghdad and Basra.
Albany is contracted UNDP, who are working in conjunction with the EC in delivering a programme of governance reform to Iraq through the RoL Programme. The programme, which began in 07/08, is funded by the EC, Spain and Germany.
The Unit is the Government’s centre of expertise and best practice in stabilisation. It was set up to respond to the complex challenges of fragile and conflict-afflicted states.
The Civilian Stabilisation Group (CSG) is a thousand-strong pool of civilians requested by the Prime Minister. These individuals have been specially selected for their experience across the public, private, civil and military sectors.
They have the knowledge and expertise to support countries as they try to re-establish peace and security. This pool of people will ensure we are able to deploy the right people, to the right place at the right time to help rebuild fragile states and countries affected by conflict.
The Prime Minister commented ‘"This 1,000-strong Civilian Stabilisation Group will further strengthen our ability to offer rapid help in rebuilding countries after conflict or disaster. Britain has great depth in the skills that are needed in places like Afghanistan, Darfur and DRC, and now Haiti. In Afghanistan in 2008, we were the first nation to set up a joint civilian-military reconstruction team. The Stabilisation Unit, set up in late 2004, enables us to combine our development, diplomatic and defence expertise across government, delivering results in the most challenging situations. The new Civilian Stabilisation Group will combine the skills and energy of people both inside and outside Government - helping bring the stability and humanitarian assistance that is urgently needed, but also hope for the future through reconstruction and development."
UNDP, in conjunction with the EC are delivering a programme of governance reform to Iraq through the RoL Programme. The programme, which began in 07/08, is funded by the EC, Spain and Germany. It aims to develop the Iraqi Legal system by:
•The Establishment of 3 Pilot Courts.
•Reform of the teaching methods and curriculum of the Iraqi Judicial Training Institute.
•Completion of the Iraqi Legal Database.
•Reform of the penitentiary system, including the management and treatment of women and juveniles.
•Improving the function of the higher judicial Council.
•Improving the function of the Ministry of Justice.
•Supporting the Iraqi Judicial Education and Development Institute (JEDI).
This 12 month project will benefit Judges, Public Prosecutors, Court Staff, Court Users, Lawyers, the Ministry Staff, Prison Administrators and Staff, and inmates including women and juveniles.
establishing it as one of the leaders in its field.
This independent assessment was conducted by the British Accreditation Bureau a leading Certification Body and demonstrates Albany Associates Ltd commitment to customer service and quality in delivery.
Albany Associates Ltd has now earned the right to display the coveted British Accreditation Bureau Quality Shield and ISO 9001:2008 logo to demonstrate its conformance to the standard.
ISO 9001 was first introduced in 1987 and requires organisations to demonstrate that they do what they say they do and that they have a quality management system in place to ensure consistency and improvement; leading to high levels of performance and customer satisfaction. Accredited organisations are committed to continuous improvement and are assessed annually to ensure progress is being maintained.
Albany Associates Ltd has shown that it has good service reliability and process controls which mean lower costs for its customers!
Dieter Loraine, Director said, "We are particularly pleased to have achieved ISO 9001 certification as it underlines our commitment to our customers and our focus on quality. Not many customers get to see their suppliers' 'back-office' activities. This recognition demonstrates we can provide a quality solution from quotation to delivery."
The benefits of registration to the ISO 9001 standard include:
Streamlining an organisation's procedures.
Bringing consistency to an organisation's service delivery.
Reducing cost and rework.
Improving an organisation's management practices.
Enhanced status.
Competitive advantage.
Lower insurance premiums.
to the Media Unit of the Iraqi Ministry of Human Rights.
Albany recently concluded a Media Training project in Baghdad to the Media Unit of the Iraqi Ministry of Human Rights. Following on from Albany’s Media training in Amman, this phase was essentially a mentoring process allowing the students to be exposed to strategic campaign tools and to encourage them to crystallize specific campaign objectives. Two major human rights issues were identified and chosen:
1. A reduction of violence against women and a campaign.
2. An acceptance initiative for special needs children in Iraq.
The Media Unit contributed engaging examples of their work (mostly printed materials), and were able to explain how they had been distributed and what had worked and what had not (and why). Albany focused particularly on perceptions, both of the Ministry and of Human Rights issues within Iraq, in the Islamic context and globally using personal opinion, journalists and bloggers from around the world and shaped mission statements, overall objectives and the long term vision for change over a one year time frame. Phase two also involved Jordan Pioneers, a Jordan based Media Production Company, who provided Camera Equipment and Operators to support the collation of material in support of Campaign delivery.
Caroline Jaine, Albany’s International Media Consultant delivering the training said, “It was great to see how much the team had learned from the earlier phases of the training - and a joy to put all that expertise together to produce some creative, realistic media campaigns that will make a real difference in addressing human rights issues in Iraq."
Read more at Albany's Blog 'Perceptions in Iraq': http://bit.ly/8xrPo .
The senior leadership course is run by the UN's Department of Peace Keeping Operations (DPKO) for mission leaders at the level of SRSG, Deputy SRSG, Force Commander and Police Commissioner as well as departmental Directors. The workshop was designed to give the participants a view of their responsibilities in overseeing Communications and Public Information. Elements of the workshop included an introduction to the strategic approach, crisis communications and media handling techniques. The training followed a similar session delivered by Albany to Directors and Chiefs of Information of Missions last year.
Strategic Communications must be incorporated into policy at an early stage, agree the delegates and speakers at Albany’s International Conference.
Speaking at the recent conference ‘Strategic Communications in Countries Emerging from Violent Conflict’ organised by communications specialists Albany Associates, General Sir Michael Jackson, Alastair Campbell, Edward Mortimer and Jamie Shea all agreed that effective pro-active management of information, within stabilisation efforts and peace-building operations, is crucial to strategic thinking within the communications context. Moreover, the most important factor in strategic communications is the ability for different stakeholders to form a coherent and coordinated strategy and organisations should never tire of repeating the key messages.
This very successful two-day conference, co-hosted by Post Conflict People, sponsored by Bell Pottinger and supported by Portland, provided a forum to share experiences from the field and academic knowledge to formalize thinking and consider models for the implementation of strategic communications. It brought together over 120 communications experts from a range of backgrounds, including senior delegates from the UK and US Governments, the EU, NATO, MoD, the United Nations and other International organisations, NGO's, Academia, Media and the Private Sector. The discussions centered around how strategic communications can be incorporated into policy at an early stage, and how to win the critical battle for ‘hearts and minds’ using effective and targeted communications techniques.
The conference was kicked off with a compelling presentation by Nik Gowing of the Reuters Institute, with observations of the impact of new communications technology on both Media organisations and governments. “This is the tyranny of real time and the tyranny of time line.” Nik articulated that the speed of information transfer shortens the news timeline from hours to minutes, and that the breadth of information transfer challenges the hegemony of major institutions of power.
Former NATO Spokesman Jamie Shea said: “In the past we haven’t been too good at strategic communications, but we have to improve and we can do that by sharing best practice so we can get it right in the future. Conferences like this help us do that”.
Alastair Campbell, former press secretary to Tony Blair, said: “Although vitally important, the concept of strategic communications is still chronically misunderstood to the detriment of government departments and trans-governmental organisations”, before adding that “rather than being a force for manipulation, strategic communication is an essential process which gives the policy makers the space they need to get from A to B.”
Simon Haselock, Director Albany Associates said: “This Conference has proven the need that we have to get our message right and we have to think about what we’re saying, in many respects strategic communication is about communicating on one hand and listening on the other.”
Andy Bearpark, Director Post Conflict People stated in the closing remarks, “…that strategy and tactics were vital, but that they would only succeed if they were properly resourced”, a message he directed firmly at programme managers.
Further information at info@albanyassociates.com and imagery of the event can be viewed at Albany’s Flikr account: http://bit.ly/3C1VX.
staff to articulate "Human Rights" messages.
In consultation with the Government and civil society of Iraq, an umbrella programme to support the rule of law and justice in Iraq was prepared by UNDP, UNOPS and the UNAMI Human Rights Office. The programme, funded by the European Commission (EC), builds on the results and lessons learned from the Promotion of Human Rights Project that was implemented by UNOPS in 2005-2007, also with funding from the EC.
One component of the project, designed and implemented by UNOPS in cooperation with Albany Associates, addressed the need to promote human rights awareness in Iraq through the use of mass media. Upon specific request by the Minister of Human Rights of Iraq, this included training of the staff of the Media Unit of the Ministry of Human Rights (MoHR). The nine ministry officials who participated in the training all had backgrounds in journalism, public relations and as filming and camera practitioners. However, since their appointment to the Media Unit of the MoHR, they had not received technical training to assist them in meeting expectations on the MoHR to lead the establishment of a human rights culture in Iraq and channeling of ‘human rights messages’ through conventional media channels.
Albany's training was set up with a dual focus on enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the Media Unit’s use of mass media, while simultaneously raising their knowledge of human rights principles; developing their understanding in areas related to the promotion, protection and respect of human rights in Iraq.
Over 12 days in Amman, Jordan, the following modules were covered:
• Introduction to human rights, including freedom of expression and freedom of information.
• Basic journalism, including interview skills, media report writing and how to conduct a media campaign.
• Web and film skills, including print design, photo treatment, film editing, preparation of documentaries and short movies.
• Public relations.
The sessions included workshop style learning in classroom environment as well as practical components where participants used acquired skills to begin a Human Rights Media Campaign. As part of exploring the use of “New Media” techniques, increasingly popular across the Middle East, the Media Unit staff also trained in the use of blogging techniques and open source reporting (youtube/facebook) and were tutored in making short films to be uploaded onto the web, for example creating their own youtube page.
Albany will soon be delivering practical training to the MoHR in Baghdad.
Dieter Loraine, Director of Albany Associates and Professor Robert Pinker, International Consultant and former Acting Chairman of the UK Press Complaints Commission travelled to Khartoum in May to facilitate a workshop for Sudanese Editors and Journalists on establishing a voluntary Press Code.
Representatives of nine English and local language newspapers from both South and North Sudan took part in the 4-day event.
Drawing on his experiences of establishing South East Europe’s first Press Council in Bosnia Herzegovina and working on similar projects in Iraq, Dieter highlighted the fundamental differences between various Codes, especially regarding newsgathering in conflict and post-conflict countries and how that differs from more established democracies with a free press.
Professor Pinker brought a great deal of UK and international perspective to the discussion, interspersed with real examples of breaches of the UK Press Code and how they were dealt with by the PCC. This often led to lively and, sometimes animated discussion as the journalists endeavoured to put the examples in the context of working in Sudan.
At the end of the workshop, using the text of a previously agreed but fairly dormant Press Code for Southern Sudan as the basis for discussion - with a few additions, alterations and enhancements, the Editors agreed a new country-wide Code for the print industry.
The Code workshop was part of a larger 4-month training programme for Sudanese journalists funded by the European Commission, supported by Norwegian Church Aid.
Read Professor Pinker’s discussion paper: Press Freedom and Press Regulation in a Changing World
Albany Associates have been working in Khartoum and Darfur on communications and advocacy projects since early 2007.
PRESS RELEASE
7th May 2009
ALISTAIR CAMPBELL AND JAMIE SHEA TO SPEAK AT STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS CONFERENCE
Albany Associates is delighted to announce that Alistair Campbell and Jamie Shea will be two keynote speakers at its Conference: ‘Strategic communications in countries emerging from violent conflict’.
Drawing on his experience of ten years alongside Tony Blair, and his considerable understanding of the modern media, Alastair specialises in strategy, making change, dealing with the media and crisis management – often at the same time. He will bring to the conference a unique perspective on dealing with communications issues at the highest level during the wars in Kosovo and Iraq and post 9/11, which will ensure a stimulating and challenging session for delegates.
Jamie Shea is Director of Policy Planning in the Private Office of the Secretary General of NATO. Jamie received worldwide attention during the 1999 Kosovo War, when he served as the spokesperson for NATO. He too will bring some very interesting and significant insights to the conference on very relevant conflict and post conflict communications topics.
The conference, co-hosted by Post Conflict People and supported by Portland, will be held at The Cumberland Hotel, London on 24th and 25th June and will bring together experts from a range of communications backgrounds. This important two-day event for policy-makers, communications practitioners, academics and media will establish how strategic communications can be incorporated into policy at an early stage and how to win the critical battle for 'hearts and minds'.
Director of Albany Associates, Simon Haselock said: “This will be a platform to share experience and knowledge, to formalise thinking and to consider models for implementation. We are expecting delegates from the UK and US Governments, the EU, NATO, the United Nations and other International organisations, NGO's, Academics, Media, Independent Communications Experts, Defence Specialists and the Private Sector”.
To book online and find out further information about the conference please click on : http://www.albanyassociates.com/training/conference09.php
* Ends *
For further information please contact:
The Conference Team on 01752 604211 or paul@albanyassociates.com
Albany Director Douglas Griffin drafted portions of and edited a primer on media law and policy in Jordan recently published by USAID and IREX.
The publications can be read by following the links below:
Introduction to news media Policy in Jordan ( Arabic version)
Albany Associates are pleased to confirm Alastair Campbell as a Keynote Speaker at its Conference: ‘Strategic Communications in countries emerging from violent conflict’. A well known ‘communicator, writer and strategist’, Alastair will open Albany’s Conference with a keynote address focusing upon his role over 10 years within 10 Downing Street, the Kosovo crisis in 1999 and offering some thought and perspective ‘post 9/11’. To register for the conference click here: www.albanyassociates.com/conference.php
Albany Associates and Post Conflict People would like to invite you to an International conference on ‘Strategic Communications in Countries Emerging from Violent Conflict’ at the Cumberland Hotel, London.
This important two-day event for policy-makers, communications practitioners, academics and media will establish how strategic communications can be incorporated into policy at an early stage and how to win the critical battle for 'hearts and minds'. Bringing together experts from a range of backgrounds, this will be a platform to share experience and knowledge, to formalise thinking and to consider models for implementation. We are expecting delegates from the UK and US Governments, the EU, NATO, the United Nations and other International organisations, NGO's, Academics, Media, Independent Communications Experts, Defence Specialists and the Private Sector.
Cost per person (inc VAT): £349 (Govt, NGO, Academia, and Independent Practitioners) and £599 (Corporate and Private Sector).
To register your interest at no obligation, please click on the following link www.albanyassociates.com/conference.php and we’ll contact you in due course with a conference application form and further information on the conference programme.
Albany assisted Kosovo’s independent broadcast regulator, the Independent Media Commission (IMC), design and implement a new long term licensing regime for the country’s 114 radio and TV stations.
The first phase of the assignment commenced with a series of assessment meetings and interviews with senior staff, Licensees and Government officials. Albany gained a comprehensive understanding of the regulatory landscape of Kosovo, incorporating the vision and objectives of the regulator and the needs of the licensees, to enable it to initially draft a new Licensing Strategy for adoption by the IMC Council.
During the next phase, Albany ran a series of consultative workshops with the staff and Council of the IMC concentrating on what it wanted to achieve in the next phase of licensing and how to bring as many broadcasters as possible into the system. Discussions on the necessity to add to or modify the legal framework were also held to provide the IMC with options for amendments of the current IMC law and analysis and advice on monitoring and compliance were provided. Albany also designed an effective communications strategy for the IMC to provide its licensees and general public with information and guidance on the requirements and desired outcomes of the new licensing process.
Albany Associates delivered to the IMC a new licensing process, a regulatory strategy, licensing documents including application forms and guidelines for submission.
Working closely with Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) and Khartoum Monitor, one of Sudan’s leading English language publications, Albany are assisting Sudanese editors, journalists and media practitioners discuss, design and agree a Code of Conduct for the press, which will hopefully be the catalyst for the establishment of a future self regulatory regime, administered by a professional body such as a Press Council.
In addition, Albany consultants, working with senior professionals from Khartoum Monitor, are assisting Sudanese journalists in the improving their journalistic and professional skills and knowledge in transparency matters, governance, rule of law and constitutional issues.
Albany Associates is pleased to announce the CPD Certification Service grant on its training courses. CPD (Continuing Personal/Professional Development) is an internationally recognised certification and the holistic commitment to structured skills enhancement and personal or professional competence.
Completing a training course accredited by the CPD Certification Service is a guarantee that the qualification has prepared the development of intellectual ability and strategic, analytical and problem-solving skills. It also provides the necessary technical skills to enable professionals to adequately perform their jobs.
The CPD Certifications signifies that Albany Associates has undertaken an extensive and ongoing process to ensure that your training will equip you with best practice skills and up to the date competencies.”
Albany Associates is supporting the Government of Sierra Leone and UNDP to write a 'National Communications Strategy'. This strategy will outline how communications can help strengthen democracy and promote good governance in a country that is determined to grow and to reach its full development potential.
Ideas on how communications can increase access to information, promote a free, pluralistic and professional press; and open opportunities for dialogue at all levels of society, include a more effective use of Sierra Leone's traditional oral culture, drama and music, as well as developing a truly independent public broadcasting corporation for the nation.
Albany has recently begun a project funded by the UK Government's Global Opportunities Fund providing technical support to the Lebanese Palestinian Dialogue Committee (LPDC) in the areas of Strategic Communications and Human Security.
The project foresees the development of a comprehensive strategic communications plan aimed at supporting and improving the Government of Lebanon’s work with the Palestinian refugee community living in Lebanon, in the context of future conflict prevention. More specifically, it will result in the production of a Security Plan for Nahr el Bared refugee camp (outside Tripoli, north Lebanon), which was destroyed during fighting between the Lebanese Armed Forces and members of terrorist group, Fatah el Islam, in summer 2007.
The development of the plan will be based on a bottom-up approach that takes full account of the needs, wishes and human rights of residents and the surrounding community. If successful, the plan could form the basis for a nationwide strategy to improving living conditions and security in the 12 Palestinian refugee camps around Lebanon.
Albany will also provide advice and support to improve identification of, and communication with, stakeholders to improve policy-making in areas of key importance to the Palestinian community in Lebanon.
Albany Associates delivered its second highly successful Master Class in Broadcasting Regulation in London between 22-25 September 08. Broadcasting and Telecommunication Regulators from Ghana, Tanzania, Nigeria, Slovenia, Singapore, Rwanda, Bermuda and Kosovo gathered to exchange experiences and discuss current regulatory issues. The Master Class provided delegates with in-depth analysis and knowledge of the principle traditional topics of Broadcast Regulation, including content and licensing. It also examined new and emerging issues such as Convergence and the Digital switchover.
Of note, the Director General of the Communications Regulatory Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mr Kemal Huseinovic, gave a special presentation encapsulating the Master Class sessions by providing a practical insight into the regulatory issues he and his agency have had to overcome to maintain the independence and effectiveness of the first (and so far), only converged regulatory agency. Bernard A Forson, attending from the National Communications Authority in Ghana said, 'This (course) is a well balanced portfolio of themes and subjects that has tremendously exposed me to the challenges, as well as the opportunities, of Broadcasting in a convergent market. Great access to many things in one place, what a great value!' Bunmi Cole from the National Broadcasting Commission in Nigeria commented, 'very good; a path towards excellence.' Lai Lei Khim from the Media Development of Singapore added, 'the best thing about this class is the exchange of ideas and learning about how other countries "do it"'. It is anticipated that Albany Associates will build on the success of this year's course by delivering one or two more in 2009, as well as exploring the opportunity to deliver bespoke regulatory courses 'in house’ for regulatory agencies and operators.
Click here for information on Albany’s work in Sudan.
Above: Albany staff Maha Adnan Badir and Zina Alsatar at work in Albany’s office in Amman; Albany/UNESCO Conference in Amman for the Iraqi Communications and Media Commission.
Albany Associates, a globally renowned UK-based strategic communications and media development company, have opened a new office in Amman, Jordan to support its work with UNESCO to develop a free and fair media in Iraq.
Staffed by Iraqis and Jordanians, the office also coordinates Albany’s training activities for the Iraqi Communications and Media Commission (CMC), the country’s first independent telecoms and broadcasting regulator, which was established in 2004 with the help of Albany who were at the time working in Iraq.
Commenting on Albany’s continuing expansion into the Middle East, Albany Director, Dieter Loraine said: “We have been visiting and working in the region for a few years now and we felt that the time was right to invest in a permanent infrastructure to provide a launch pad for future work across the entire Middle East. Setting up an office in Jordan significantly increases our overall capacity to deliver regional broadcasting, telecoms, regulatory and strategic communications training across the Middle East.”
Since its establishment in late 2004 Albany has worked in some of the world’s most challenging countries such as Iraq, Sudan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Lebanon. It has offices and representation in France, Sudan and shortly Afghanistan.
For more information and to book online please click here.
A photographic exhibit entitled “The African Union in Darfur” opens in the South Gallery of the General Assembly Visitors’ Lobby on Friday, 14 March. The exhibit is open to the public and admission is free. The exhibit will remain on display through 2 April.
The exhibition features a collection of photographs highlighting the work of the African Union Mission in the Sudan (AMIS) to contain the violence and improve security in Darfur during its three-and-a-half-year presence (April 2004 to December 2007). On 31 December 2007, as authorized by the United Nations Security Council, AMIS transferred its responsibilities for supporting the peace process in Darfur to the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID). Many of the pictures were shot by Stuart Price, a photographer working for Albany Associates in Darfur.
Albany Associates has been assisting AMIS and UNAMID with strategic communications and public information efforts in their support for the Darfur peace process since mid-2006. Albany's work in Darfur has been funded by the United Kingdom's Department for International Development and the governments of Canada and the Netherlands.
This exhibit was prepared by Albany Associates and sponsored by the Peace and Security Section of the United Nations Department of Public Information.
Address: United Nations Headquarters, Visitors’ Entrance, First Avenue at East 46th Street, New York, NY 10017.
Viewing hours: Gates are open to the public from 9:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. The gallery is open until 6p.m.
For more information on Albany Associates and its work in Darfur, please do not hesitate to contact me at caroline@albanyassociates.com or visit Albany's website at www.albanyassociates.com.
For information on UN exhibitions, please contact Jan Arnesen at +1 212 963 531 or arnesen@un.org, or Liza Wichmann at +1 212 963 0089 or wichmann@un.org.
http://www.liberation.fr/rebonds/314135.FR.php
http://www.albanyassociates.com/pubs/diplomat.jpg
"As the African Union prepares to renegotiate the Darfur Peace Agreement, communicating and disseminating information on the process and provisions will be crucial to gaining public buy-in. In Sudan, years of conflict have destroyed critical infrastructure, silenced media and left entire generations without an education, creating an information vacuum and extremely limiting vehicles for dissemination. How can the provisions of a peace agreement be disseminated to the public whose lives it will profoundly affect? How can public opinion be gauged? How can a constituency for peace be built?"
For more information please click here.
“Last month, Iraq's Communication and Media Commission, with support from UNESCO and Albany Associates, continued a series of workshops designed to improve the legal framework governing Iraq's media and to include broadcasters and media professionals in shaping the framework that will govern them Doug Griffin and Simon Haselock will give a special briefing on the progress of the workshop series and recent developments in the effort to build the capacity of Iraq's Communications and Media Commission”.
http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=25650&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
Former British Diplomat Caroline Jaine has been appointed as Head of Communications & Marketing for Albany Associates. Her initial focus will be on new business development and a visit to Afghanistan to explore a number of contracts along with Director Simon Haselock is already underway.
Bio:
Caroline has 12 years experience with the British Government, last year working as Press & Public Affairs Officer in Basra where she developed a coalition wide communication strategy for Southern Iraq, engaged with local and international journalists and established a functioning press section at the British Embassy Office. Since her return she has helped train new Press Officers prior to their postings overseas. Her other assignments have included heading an internal communications programme, this time developing an internal communications strategy and in 2005 she was Ministerial Speech Writer attached to the Foreign Office Press Office.
Caroline has also written articles for national publications and published a photographic book promoting peace in Sri Lanka. Caroline has a background in art & design and has held successful exhibitions of her work in Slovakia, Sri Lanka and Israel/Palestine.
