Creating stories that transcend borders: the launch of Crossed Perspectives in the Western Balkans
Related project
Shared Horizons (Component 3)Twelve young people from the Western Balkans gathered in Tirana, Albania, for a two-day intensive training course as part of the regional Crossed Perspectives programme, organised by CFI as part of the Shared Horizons project.
The training course brought together journalism students and young professionals with a passion for reporting, with the aim of strengthening their skills in fact-checking, mobile journalism and reporting on disinformation in the region.
Combating disinformation in a regional context
The first day of the training course was devoted to techniques and methods for verifying facts and sources, led by Stefan Kosanović, a fact-checking expert and journalist at KRIK.
Through in-depth analyses and practical exercises, participants explored how disinformation ecosystems operate in the Western Balkans and how manipulated narratives continue to influence collective memory.
He outlined that disinformation is often fuelled by difficult social and political contexts, including past conflicts and current global challenges.
During the sessions, participants learnt how to use practical tools for verifying digital content (OSINT), including reverse image searches, meta data analysis and the analysis of academic sources.
Mobile journalism as a storytelling tool
The second day was devoted to mobile journalism and the production of video content tailored to social media conventions. Participants were trained in smart phone filming techniques, structuring short videos and creating effective visual narratives.
Through practical exercises, they produced short videos, applying the knowledge they had gained during the training, from conception through to filming and editing.
What next?
After completing the training, the six pairs will travel across the Western Balkan countries over the coming weeks to produce short video reports.
Supported by local media mentors on the ground, they will cover topics relating to the issues and interconnections between disinformation and historical memory, or the challenges posed by disinformation in the process of integration into the European Union.
The final outputs will be published on the Balkan Voices platform, as well as on the partners’ and the CFI’s channels.
Crossed Perspectives is an initiative of the Shared Horizons project (Component 3), funded by the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and implemented by Expertise France, CFI, ALDA, Play International, the French Institute and Museum 90.
