Organized with the cooperation of Anadolu Ajansı, the Police Academy Presidency, and the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency Presidency, with the aim of training journalists to work in times of war, disaster, and emergency the “29th War Journalism Training” has begun.
As the new term of training began, a ceremony was held at the Gölbaşı Campus of the Police Academy.
In his speech, Fatih İnal, Police Academy Chief Superintendent, noted that the 29th War Correspondent Training Program is the only certified war correspondent program in the international arena.
Noting that the program draws on both the experience of Anadolu Ajansı and the Police Force’s extensive experience and expertise spanning over 181 years, İnal said, “Our goal is to pass on this experience and expertise to you, our valued participants. In the training we have provided so far, many of our colleagues have left here having gained a wealth of knowledge that will support them, save lives, and make their lives easier in war zones, natural disasters, or crisis areas.”
Noting that women and children are the greatest victims of war, İnal said they hope the knowledge the trainees gain here will be useful in saving their lives on the battlefield.
İnal said, “I welcome you to the Republic of Türkiye and the Police Academy, a land that serves as a refuge for the oppressed and a home for the homeless, and which shelters more than 5 million war victims.”
"A direct assault on the conscience of humanity"
In his speech, TİKA Vice President Dr. Ali Ercan said, "Today, we are gathered under one roof with esteemed media representatives from a broad geographical landscape of shared values, stretching from the TRNC to Ukraine, from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Serbia, and from Hungary to Romania and North Macedonia. This gathering is not merely a manifestation of an educational program, but also of shared memory, solidarity, and the pursuit of truth."
Noting that the period we are currently experiencing is one of the most fragile phases in human history, Ercan stated that the war in Ukraine, which has been ongoing for years, the massacres in Gaza that have deeply wounded the conscience of humanity, and the escalating tensions in the region in recent times, he noted that war reporting is not merely journalism but a duty to bear witness to the truth—a task that is as heavy as it is honorable.
Saying that journalists pursuing the truth have become even more of a target, Ercan stated, “The fact that hundreds of media workers have been killed while on duty, particularly in Gaza, is not only an attack on press freedom but a direct assault on the conscience of humanity.”
"Beginning of a new era"
Zeynep Bayramoğlu Öztürk, AA Academy Manager, expressed that they had completed 28 terms of War Journalism Training and were now entering the 29th term, stating, “Today marks the beginning of a new era for you, the brave journalists who will serve in conflict and crisis zones and deliver your reports to the public under challenging conditions; we are delighted to bear witness to this.”
Öztürk emphasized that this training is not merely a program but one of the strongest pillars of Anadolu Ajansı's mission of impartial and reliable journalism, which has been ongoing since April 6, 1920.
Öztürk, reminding that AA Academy has been organizing various training programs since 2012, said, “We have organized 467 training programs so far. We have trained 18,241 people. I think that’s a significant number, but perhaps the program that AA Academy values most, and which is both the most enjoyable and the most important, is the war journalism training.”
Öztürk added:
"We hope you never have to use what you learn here or face such situations in the field; we hope wars never happen, but unfortunately, it is a reality of our world. We’re simply here to offer some advice to make your work in the field easier and help you perform your profession effectively. I hope this training proves beneficial for you. I’d like to extend my sincere thanks in advance to the Police Academy, the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), AFAD, TİKA, and our esteemed instructors."
The program includes a total of 22 participants, 9 of whom are AA employees, along with participants from Serbia, Romania, Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, and Greece.
