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The Rebirth of Photojournalism in Iraq June 24, 2011 by Michael Clarke On June 4, 2011, IREX sponsored an Advanced Photojournalism Course through a small grant to Iraq’s first photo agency, Metrography. Founded by international photographer Sebastian Meyer and Iraqi photojournalist Kamaran Najm, Metrography is the only Iraqi photography agency covering all 18 of Iraq’s governorates.	Beyond Internet Freedoms: E-Governance in Iraq June 19, 2011 Recently, marking World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD 2011), the Kurdistan Regional Government Information Technology Department (KRGIT) and IREX hosted a conference called “Beyond Internet Freedoms: E-Governance in Iraq”, to discuss Iraqi government responses to the global transparency imperative. The conference took place against a backdrop of unrest in Iraq and the Arab world as citizens demand more inclusive, transparent, and effective governance.
World Press Freedom Day 2011: The Promise and Challenge of New Technologies June 15, 2011 by Mark Whitehouse Over 800 journalists, bloggers, freedom of expression advocates, and new media pioneers gathered in Washington, D.C., May 1-3 to celebrate World Press Freedom Day 2011. This year's event, 21st Century Media: New Frontiers, New Barriers, marked the first time the United States has hosted the event. The role of new media and citizen journalism in the ongoing events in the Middle East provided an interesting backdrop and relevant case studies for the three days of debate and discussion. IREX, together with the Center for International Media Assistance at NED, the UN Foundation, and the US Department of State served as members of the Executive Committee that planned and organized the event.	Press Freedom and the Mirage in the Desert June 15, 2011 by W. Robert Pearson From May 1 to 3, for the first time, the United States hosted World Press Freedom Day, an event inspired by African journalists. Every day around the globe free expression is under threat. For the champions of a free media, the dates, places and people may change but not the objective. Twenty years ago it was the Soviet Union’s dictatorship and South Africa’s apartheid that was disintegrating; today another revolution is transforming the Middle East. Courageous journalists, advocates, and new media pioneers proclaimed a single persistent message at this year’s event: freedom of expression is indispensable to democratic growth.
Beyond Internet Freedoms Conference in Iraq May 16, 2011 On May 16, 2011, marking the World Telecommunications and Information Society Day (WTISD), the Kurdistan Regional Government Department of Information Technology and IREX are hosting a conference on Government Responses to the the Global Transparency Imperative. A Hands-on Training will follow May 17, 2011. Both activities will be at KRG IT Academy in Erbil.	Blazing Ahead: Muskie Alum Breaks New Ground in Armenian TV May 6, 2011 by Anne Johnson Artak Aleksanyan is no ordinary journalist. In just three years since his return to Armenia after completing a Muskie fellowship in the US, he not only founded one of Armenia’s most successful TV production companies, but also broke the mold of topics and themes covered by Armenian television.
School Newspapers Foster Active Citizens May 6, 2011 Participating in school newspapers elevates students’ sense of responsibility and critical thinking skills. It also deepens their understanding of freedom of expression, as students in Azerbaijan recently discovered when their teacher initiated a school newspaper program where there was none before. In honor of World Press Freedom Day, IREX celebrates Halima Fatullayeva, an English teacher from the Ganja region of Azerbaijan, in her effort to develop a culture of student journalism in her region.	Perspective from Rwanda, Liberia, Romania, and Ukraine April 28, 2011 by W. Robert Pearson I just came home from Rwanda, Liberia, Romania and Ukraine. What do these countries have in common you ask and why is IREX focusing on them right now? Each one of these countries is in transition from a difficult past to a hoped-for brighter future. Each one of these countries is in a better position now than in over a generation to make genuine progress toward the goals they’ve set for themselves. Each has its own unique set of challenges, naturally.
World Press Freedom Day Participant Profile: Abdikadir Ahmed April 27, 2011 A speaker at this year’s World Press Freedom Day conference, Abdikadir Ahmed from IREX Somalia discusses innovative ways to introduce technology for sharing information in a panel on “Accessing the Digital Benefit.”	Blogs Are Very Much Like Media April 25, 2011 by Michael Mirny As World Press Freedom Day approaches and interest in ongoing popular uprisings in the Middle East garner well-deserved attention in the press, we should not forget how the digital revolution continues to upend traditional notions of media (and traditional notions of state control over the media) all over the globe.