First Mentoring Weekend Successfully Completed
At our first Mentoring Weekend in Leipzig, 18 participants learned the basics of journalism and developed ideas for their own projects, which we will continue to support online through to publication.
On 12 and 13 September, The Amargi held its first Mentoring Weekend for Emerging Journalists in Leipzig. The program combined journalistic basics, critical media practice and transnational networking. In total, 18 participants, mentors and members of the Amargi team came together. Originally planned for 15 participants, the group was expanded after almost 50 applications were received within only a few days.
The aim was to create an accessible entry point into journalism. Participants worked on research, source evaluation, news values, interviewing, journalistic language, conflict-sensitive reporting and the responsible use of AI. A central question throughout the weekend was how stories connected to exile, migration, diaspora and the MENA region can be researched, contextualized and brought into public debate responsibly.
The first day focused on the difference between information and journalism: How do we identify a relevant story? How do we verify claims? How does a broad topic become a concrete journalistic angle? Through practical exercises, participants worked on interviews, sources and first news ideas.
The second day explored political, ethical and technological conditions of journalistic work, including media power, disinformation, conflict-sensitive language, safety, responsibility and the role of journalists in polarized public debates. At the end of the weekend, participants developed first story pitches, which will be further supported in online follow-up sessions and may later be published by The Amargi.
The weekend showed a clear need for accessible journalism training and transnational exchange. Participants particularly appreciated the depth of the content, practical examples and open atmosphere. Future formats will include more practical exercises, small-group work and continuous feedback.
The first mentoring weekend was an important starting point for The Amargi’s educational work. It brought together people with different experiences, languages and geographical backgrounds and laid the foundation for a longer-term journalistic network.
The Mentoring Weekend is funded by FM Demokratie Leipzig and by the Bürger für Bürger Stiftung as part of Zukunftswege Ost.