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Liberia Media Initiative for Peace,
Democracy and Development
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13th Street, Sinkor Methodist Compound
Monrovia, Liberia
Email: Liberia.mediainitiative@gmail.com
PRESS RELEASE August 2, 2011:The Liberia Media Initiatives for Peace,Democrcay and Development in collaboration with National Democratic Institute for international Affairs has completed a three day meeting which ran from July 29-31 with Community radios in Gbarnga Bong County geared at explaining to Community radio personnel about the National Democratic Institute sponsored Elections project with funding from the USAID.
According to the LMI’s Deputy Director and Media Officer, the three days brought together Program Directors and Station managers from 30 Community radios from across the Country and discussed how Community radios can commence the airing of two LMI programs Our Liberia and Reconciliation Road that are being used as platforms for the implementation of the Elections Series sponsored by the National Democratic Institute with funding from the USAID.
The LMI in a release said the gathering offered lectures on how the two elections series can be transcribed and translated into local vernaculars from the various Communities across the Country to be played alongside the LMI programs for an easy understanding of the elections issues produced from the LM in collaboration with the National Democracy Institute.
The release explained that from the Gbarnga meeting it was realized that nearly all the Community radios had been yarning for some radio programs that would help in educating and sensitizing rural dwellers on the 2011 elections process since the participation of everyone was cardinal in the search for democracy in Liberia.
The LMI team headed by its Deputy Director and Media Officer Korta Dogba said after informing the Community radios of the five months elections project received statements of commitment from participants to ensure the success of the project since according to them it was in the best interest of true democracy in Liberia.
The release said the Association of Liberia Community radios President William Quire, Vice President for Operations Emmanuel Karlea and Press Union of Liberia Central Liberia Coordinator, Clarence Jackson including some UNMIL radio staff attended the gathering.
The LMI said Mr. William Quire lauded efforts by the sponsors and producers of the elections awareness programs and promised that every Community radio in the Country would be encouraged to see the project as an opportunity for rural residents most of whom he acknowledged listen to only Community radios.
Mr. Quire believes the dramatization of the 2011 elections activities would create a space for greater participation of rural residents in all elections exercises leading to the National Referendum and the Legislative and Presidential Elections this year.
Mr. Quire noted that with the production of Special Elections editions of Our Liberia, the Simple Liberian English and Drama, critical and important issues that have been creating doubts on the minds of rural residents would now be easily understood, something he thinks must be considered a plus in terms of awareness around the elections process.
The ALICOR Boss said thought Community radios were already doing several programs geared at educating rural residents on the 2011 elections process, the inclusion of the Elections series from the LMI was another learning avenue that Community radios are going to make use of even after the five months project.
Meanwhile, the Liberia Media Initiatives Media Officer Korta Dogba has expressed satisfaction over the turn-out since participants were able to get to Gbarnga in term despite a short notice for the meeting and promised to work with Community radios in developing meaningful production skills that would be of greater benefit to rural Communities.
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