The Media for Democracy/ Democracy for Media Program (M4D) conducted by the Association of Journalists, and financed by the European Union, held its first evaluation meetings in Kütahya and Antalya.

The first meeting of the program was held in Kütahya. Erkan Sağlam chairman of the Association of Journalists in Konya graciously hosted the meeting, and 30 local journalists participated. Sağlam thanked the Association of Journalists during lunch for starting their program in their city. Project Director Yusuf Kanlı gave brief information about the outline of the project and then project members gave details about the project. During the Q&A journalists in Kütahya asked many questions related to the “Facility for Strengthening Freelance Journalists” support. Journalists were briefed on how their news articles and serials will be published in the “24 Saat” Newspaper of the Association of Journalists in return of financial aid; journalists expressed that they wished the program was bigger.

Journalists conveyed the challenges they face in local media, and expressed their wishes to receive support from the Program.

The M4D program team comprising of Program Director Yusuf Kanlı, Deputy Director Seva Ülmen, Association of Journalists board member Ali Şimşek, Program Editor and Chairman of the Parliament Reporters’ Association Göksel Bozkurt, Program Coordinator Igor Chelov, and Junior Data Expert Umut Irmaksever set out for Antalya after finishing the activity in Kütahya.

Mevlüt Yeni chairman of the Association of Journalists in Antalya hosted a working dinner with the participation of more than 30 local journalists; info about the Program was given and the current situation of the media in Turkey were discussed.

Yusuf Kanlı gave a speech about the latest situation of the media and provided related statistics in his speech, following Kanlı’s speech Mevlüt Yeni commented on the important activities the Association of Journalists in Ankara have been conducting to solve the problems of media workers and the media sector. Yeni also added that the Association of Journalists in Antalya were ready and willing to contribute to these activities.

Journalists thank the Association of Journalists for including them in the program’s beginning, as always.