Russian-African Media Forum 2024: Strengthening young practitioners through collaboration and innovation

The second edition of the Russian-African Media Forum for Young Media Practitioners was held between October 21 and October 22, 2024, at the Institute of World Economy Business Hall of the RUDN University, named after Patrice Lumumba.

This edition featured a plenary session and two roundtable discussions with two key themes: Journalism Education and Young Professionals' Collaboration in Russia and Africa; and Media Literacy as an Instrument for Combatting Disinformation.

During the grand opening session, leading academics and practitioners in the Russian and African media markets and education sectors highlighted the essence of the forum and the need for its continuity.

Participants of the forum discussed different strategies and actions being taken by various stakeholders in both Russia and Africa to strengthen the relationship and advance the field of media, journalism and communication socially, economically and politically.

Likewise, the roundtable discussants consisted of professionals, educators, and young media professionals who discussed the menace of disinformation and stereotypes as critical issues that need to be dealt with.

The speeches and discussions dealt with challenges and solutions for critical issues that were raised.

In the end, the participants resolved the following critical points raised and pledged to collectively address them;

1. We, the participants of the 2024 Russian-AfricanMedia Forum, gathered at the Peoples' Friendship University of the Russian Federation named after Patrice Lumumba, reaffirm the significance of this prestigious institution in educating black people worldwide and its role in bettering African societies. The forum, designed to strengthen the capacity of young African media practitioners, has provided a platform for collaboration, cultural exchange, knowledge sharing, and training of young practitioners from Russia, Africa and beyond.

2.We laud RUDN University, for training more than 1500 professionals in Africa this year through the Center for Continuing Education of the Faculty of Philology.

3.We acknowledge that Russian and African media outlets need to work together to erase stereotypes, change negative perceptions and promote a more accurate understanding of each other ‘s regions(Russia and Africa).

4.We acknowledge that a couple of Russian media outlets have initiated training and collaboration with a series of African media outlets and established a presence in Africa like Sputnik Africa Initiative in English and French⁠. However, there is a need to intensify efforts in using native languages for wider circulation.

5.We acknowledge that to achieve a real exchange of culture between Africa and Russia in a two-way mode, there is a need for teaching African languages in Russia and Russian languages in African schools. We, however, learnt that about six schools in Moscow have started teaching some African languages like Swahili, Amharic, Yoruba, and Arabic. Likewise, some Russian Language centres like the Russian Space Center are being established in Mali, Nigeria, Cameroon, and other African countries.

6.We acknowledged that while Russia opens its door as a land of opportunity and a training destination for media and communications training with its unique media landscape, young ones need to take advantage of these opportunities through learning and personal development to stay in Russia or return to the homeland and make good use of the knowledge and experiences they have gathered.

7.We acknowledge that the place of art and culture in shaping and promoting the Russia-Africa Relationship plays a crucial role as many contemporary exhibitions of African art have been held in Moscow recently.

8. We laud the inclusion of a masterclass in this year's edition for skill up on using VR and 360-degree filmmaking for storytelling through the masterclass session on "VR Film 'Traveling Over Moscow': How to Create Modern Media Projects Dedicated to Cultural Heritage."

9.We acknowledge the success of this year's edition with immediate impact as two young media professionals participants from Africa received scholarships to study master programs from the Vice Chancellor of Kaduna State University at the Kaduna State University.

10. We acknowledge that the business meeting held at the end of the forum between the Members of Kaduna State University and RUDN University to kickstart key partnership projects as a true step in transforming the goals of the forum to reality.

11. We laud the commitment of RUDN University in training people to become high professionals in media and journalism spheres through its programs like bachelor degree in Multimedia Journalism(English Medium), masters degree in Global and Digital Media(English Medium), and PhD in International Journalism(English Medium) at the Department of Mass Communication, Faculty Philology.