Training of Trainer Workshop on “Green Issues Reporting for Lao Journalists” on 14 – 18 October 2024, Vientiane Capital. On October 14 – 18, 2024, the Lao Journalists’ Association and CARE Lao International in Lao PDR organized a Training of Trainer Workshop ” Green Issues Reporting for Lao Journalists” of the Green Action through Media, Mass Organization and Civil Society in Laos (GAMCIL). The event was chaired by Mr. Savankhone RAZAMOUNTRY, President of the Lao Journalists’ Association, former Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, and representative participants from ministries, departments as well as Mass organization and Civil Social Organization. The purpose of the training is to build capacity as a trainer in green news reporting for Lao journalists, especially providing knowledge about climate change, sources and research, storytelling, and digital tips. After completing the workshop, they will bring the lessons to exchange with the Lao media in the target area of ​​the project to ensure that the lessons will help strengthen the capacity of Lao journalists to be able to report on green issues professionally.

Implementation Management Committee Meeting for GAMCIL Project On 29 August 2024, CARE together with the Lao Journalists Association (LJA) held a Implementation Management Committee Meeting for the Green Action through Media, Mass Organization and Civil Society in Laos Project (GAMCIL). We are honored to have Mr. Phosy Keomanivong, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism as the chairman, Mr. Savanhkhone Rajsamontry, President of the LJA, former Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, Ajit Parida, PhD, Program Director, CARE Laos, along with representatives from ministries, Departments of Information, Culture and Tourism of Luang Prabang and Champasak provinces, three mass organizations, civil society and media leaders from many sectors. In the meeting, there was a summary and report on implementing the project activities over the past six months in the three target provinces Vientiane Capital, Luang Prabang and Champasak Provinces. In addition, during the meeting participants also discussed plans for project activities in the remaining six months of 2024 to ensure that all plans will be achieved within the timeframe.

Training Need Assessment (TNA) On 5-7 August 2024, Lao Journalist Association (LJA), CARE Laos, GAMCIL Project and a technical expert implemented the in-person Training Need Assessment (TNA) in Vientiane Capital, Luang Prabang Province with a total of 58 participants and an online TNA in Champasak Province with 30 participants. The purpose is to assess the training needs of journalists, provide information on the training needs, and use the information to develop the curriculum to meet the actual needs. After the implementation is completed, LJA, CARE Laos, GAMCIL, and the technical expert have created and developed an appropriate training curriculum both offline and online through the LJA website. In addition, the project will use the curriculum to train Lao journalists to improve digital media awareness and increase access to development information related to gender and green development issues.

Celebrate the 74^th Anniversary of Lao Media Day On 2 August 2024, CARE Laos and the GAMCIL Project participated in the celebration of the 74^th Anniversary of Lao Media Day on the topic of “Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Challenges for Lao Media.” hosted by the Lao Journalist Association (LJA) in Vientiane Capital along with over 200 people both in person and online across the country. At the event, there was a discussion on the topic of “using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help the media; The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in news and ethics; how to use the benefits and safety of using social media online and the importance of green sustainable development.” Therefore, to ensure Lao journalists are able to use new technology in digital media, the LJA, CARE Laos, and GAMCIL Project have worked with many stakeholders, especially Lao journalists in addressing social media knowledge gaps, improving digital literacy to increase awareness of gender and green development issues. 

GAMCIL Baseline Survey On 13-27 June 2024, Lao Journalists Association (LJA), CARE Lao and GAMCIL Project implemented the baseline survey in Vientiane Capital, Luang Prabang, Champasak Provinces with a total of 67 participants, 54 in person and 13 online. These data were obtained from the participation of various parties, especially provincial government partners, citizen journalists, filmmakers, and YouTubers by using all three parts of the questionnaire created from the KOBO Toolbox. The data collection helped the project to determine the scope of the project’s priorities, to understand the impact of the project, to be able to record important indicators, as preliminary information to monitor and evaluate the progress and effectiveness during the implementation and end of the project.

Provincial Coordination Meeting On 13-27 June 2024, the Lao Journalists Association (LJA), CARE Laos, and GAMCIL Project held the Provincial Coordination Meeting in Vientiane Capital, Luang Prabang, and Champasak Provinces with a total of 20 participants. The meeting aims to meet with the main partners in each province of the project to share and learn lessons about the implementation of activities in the past, to report on the achievements and challenges during the project implementation, and to report on the implementation plan of the project activities need to be done together in the next year. In addition, the LJA also sent a letter to select the main coordinators to the Department of Information, Culture and Tourism in three target provinces to select provincial coordinators of the project, so that they can support the coordination and implementation of activities together with the project throughout the project duration.