Moosa to Open Journalism Conference

The conference takes place at the Nelson Mandela Gateway Centre and forms part of the Mother City's Earth Festival Programme.

Cape Town Mayor Nomaindia Mfeketo will host a reception function at the city's convention centre for the journalists attending the conference as well as delegates to the South African Cities' Urban Energy Strategy Conference, which is taking place in the city at the same time.

With several controversial topics on the agenda, the organisers of the journalism conference are expected to engage in intense debates leading to far-reaching resolutions on sustainable development, environmental conservation, and the future quality of life on this planet.

The role of environmental journalists, as conveyors of vital information, will come under the spotlight on the first day, with energy options, water management, biodiversity conservation and tourism some of the other frontline subjects scheduled to be debated.

Delegates will later be taken on outreach tours, to see energy developments, as well as sustainable tourism projects in and around the city.

The professional challenges facing environmental journalists will be dealt with on the second day, when there will also be a workshop on ways to make news of important environmental issues.

The conference will end on Friday afternoon with a discussion on the training options available to environmental journalists.

Professor Guy Berger of the Rhodes University Journalism Department will be among the key speakers at the conference.

Professor Berger will share the platform with other journalism gurus such as Don Pinnock of Getaway Magazine, Peter Willis of the Cambridge Business and Environmental Programme, Anglo American Sustainability Manager Karen Ireton, Joe Ageyo of the International Forum for Environmental Journalists, and David Daitz of Western Cape Nature Conservation.

Article by Dirk Nel, courtesy of BuaNews, www.gcis.gov.za/buanews.