Help for Refugees - Project for refugee journalists in Brandenburg starts
Refugee media professionals have a new haven in Brandenburg. In Schmerwitz, a part of the community Wiesengrund in the Landkreis Potsdam-Mittelmark, the Exile Media Hub project is getting underway. Approximately journalists, photographers, podcasters, and illustrators, who have fled to Germany, will have the opportunity to continue their work there. For the past week, eight refugees have moved into the building, which is used for accommodation and work, as Landkreis press spokesperson Kai-Uwe Schwinzert explained. Up to 30 could eventually move in.
Living and Working in a House
For the Exile Media Hub, a building is being used that previously housed a senior living complex. The ground floor provides workspaces, while the first floor and above are living quarters, according to the spokesperson.
The Landkreis and the non-profit organization Media in Cooperation and Transition (MiCT) are running the project together. MiCT has been supporting journalists and other media professionals from conflict regions for nearly two decades.
Among the eight refugees who have already moved to Schmerwitz are a photographer from Iran, a blogger and YouTuber from Afghanistan, and a Kurdish Iranian who publishes environmental news on a website in his native language.
Fast Internet and Podcast Studio
The Exile Media Hub offers fast internet, studios for podcast and video production, as well as rooms for yoga, exhibitions, and conferences. Cultural events are also planned. MiCT co-founder Klaas Glenewinkel explicitly encourages contact with Schmerwitz residents, for example, for those who don't have fast internet at home and can stop by for a coffee.
The Exile Media Hub aims not only at education and qualification. Refugees will also be trained in the use of Artificial Intelligence in media production, programming, data analysis, and in the fight against disinformation. The goal of the program, according to MiCT, is to provide participants with the necessary knowledge and skills to improve their career opportunities in the modern media industry.
- Despite finding a new home in Brandenburg for their media careers at the Exile Media Hub, many refugees still face challenges in accessing reliable internet, a issue addressed by offering fast internet connections and inviting local residents to visit for coffee.
- The Exile Media Hub project, located in Wiesengrund, Landkreis Potsdam-Mittelmark, is a collaborative effort between the Landkreis and the non-profit organization MiCT, with a focus on supporting refugee media professionals from conflict zones.
- As part of their ongoing effort to support journalists and media professionals from conflict regions, MiCT is now working with refugees in Germany, with eight individuals already residing at the Exile Media Hub in Schmerwitz, including a photographer from Iran, a blogger and YouTuber from Afghanistan, and a Kurdish Iranian publisher.
- The Exile Media Hub not only offers refugees a space to continue their work in media, but also provides training in the use of Artificial Intelligence in media production, programming, data analysis, and fighting disinformation, aiming to improve their career opportunities in the modern media industry.
