Media role crucial in protecting environment: Workshop

KABUPL (Pajhwok): A day-long workshop entitled “The Role of Media in Environment Protection, organized by Mediothek Afghanistan and the Green Road in Kabul was attended by 25 journalists on Monday.

Professor Mustafa Hassani of the Faculty of Environment at Kabul University, on the occasion said that information on environmental issues was considered a responsibility of the media.

He said the media had a duty to inform people in detail about humane and sustainable methods of using natural resources and continuation of the life cycle. He said media played a crucial role in environmental awareness, shaping people’s mentality, tolerance and promoting environmental culture

According to Hassani, life and natural resources are the heritage of nature and past generations and the use of these resources and continuation of the wheel of life must be treated responsibly so that this heritage is passed on to future generations.

The 25 journalists of video, audio and print media was provided useful information on life cycle, climate change, and the impact of people on the earth.

Jalil Pouya, a representative of the Mediothek Afghanistan, said that the purpose of the training program was to increase professional knowledge of journalists and to raise environmental awareness through them.

“Holding such training programs is very important and fundamental for the intellectual development of journalists.  The participants of this training program can inform people about environmental issues in a correct way,” he said

He added that the Network of Environmental Reporters has been established in Kabul for three years and efforts are underway to expand its activities in eight other provinces.

Omidasak, one of the participants, said, “Environmental issues were very important and interesting for me in this training program and I am trying to do more in the field of environment.”

He called media the voice of people and said media could properly disseminate environmental issues to people to understand them.

“The media should use peaceful literature, promote a culture of green thinking and work for a healthy environment,” said FarzanahNemat, another participant.

For the past three years, the Mediothek Afghanistan has been working to protect the environment by organizing discourses and media awareness programs.

bk/ma