Garowe, Puntland – June 20, 2025 — The Media Association of Puntland (MAP), with funding support from the European Union, has successfully concluded a four-day **Advanced Digital Media Training** from June 17 to 20, 2025, in Garowe. The training equipped eight aspiring journalists and young media professionals from across Puntland with the skills and tools needed to produce high-quality, ethical, and engaging multimedia content tailored for today’s digital platforms.
This training builds on MAP’s earlier foundational sessions under the EU-supported **MAP Culture Project**, an initiative designed to promote inclusive and responsible journalism among Somali youth. While the earlier training introduced core media principles, this advanced workshop focused on practical storytelling, mobile video journalism, and ethical reporting — reinforcing MAP’s commitment to developing a new generation of journalists who are both skilled and socially conscious.
Key Training Highlights:
Participants were engaged in a highly interactive learning process, featuring:
* Advanced story planning and scriptwriting techniques**
* Mobile video production**, using smartphones and low-cost tools
* Video editing** with apps like CapCut and InShot
* Understanding social media algorithms** and tailoring content for engagement
* Media ethics, misinformation awareness, and digital safety**
Each day combined theory with practical exercises, including peer-to-peer feedback, group work, and real-time production tasks. By the end of the training, each participant had produced two original video stories centered on themes such as youth resilience, civic challenges, and positive community change. These projects were showcased and constructively reviewed in a final plenary session.
To ensure the continuity of learning, MAP has arranged **short-term newsroom attachments** for participants at **SBC Radio and TV**, where they will work under the guidance of experienced editors and producers. This real-world newsroom exposure is designed to reinforce skills acquired during the training and give participants a taste of the professional media environment.
Remarks from MAP Leadership:
Speaking at the closing ceremony, **MAP Secretary General Naima Musse Elmi** praised the dedication of the participants and emphasized the importance of equipping youth with ethical and digital storytelling skills:
“This training is not just about learning techniques — it’s about building a culture of ethical journalism in Puntland. We are proud to support young people who want to tell stories that matter, challenge harmful narratives, and build peace through the media.”
A Broader Vision:
This initiative forms part of the EU’s broader commitment to support civic engagement, freedom of expression, and accountable governance in Somalia. Through targeted, youth-focused programs like this, MAP is advancing a new media culture — one that prioritizes **truth, responsibility, and community-driven storytelling**.
MAP looks forward to continuing its collaboration with national and international partners to invest in Somalia’s future journalists and amplify youth voices across the country.
—
END
