The Terra Asia project: building capacity in public media outlets across the Indo-Pacific region
Related project
Terra AsiaCFI’s Terra Asia project has officially launched its first initiatives, in four countries in the Indo-Pacific region (the Philippines, Indonesia, Papua-New-Guinea and Fiji), with support from the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs.
Inaugural seminars to foster local synergies
Each country organised an inaugural seminar attended by some 30 participants from public media outlets, civil society, academia, government institutions and international partners. These seminars were an opportunity to discuss the environment and climate issues, strengthen collaboration among local stakeholders and lay the foundations of leading-edge environmental journalism with a greater sense of commitment. At each stage, local experts moderated the discussion to ensure a focus on national realities.
The first training courses, exploring how artificial intelligence could serve environmental journalism, were also scheduled alongside these seminars.
- Indonesia: while the seminar planned in Jakarta did not take place, the training course ran from 25 to 28 February 2025.
- Philippines: the seminar was held on 3 March 2025 in Manila, followed by the training course from 4 to 7 March.
- Papua-New-Guinea: the training course ran from 12 to 16 May, with a break to hold the seminar in Port Moresby on 14 May 2025. A cocktail party was also organised at the Résidence de France.
- Fidji : the seminar was held on 19 May 2025 in Suva, followed by the training course from 20 to 23 May.
A cocktail party at the French ambassador’s residence wrapped the event up.
Ground-breaking training courses on top-quality environmental journalism
This first course, which ran in all four countries, focussed on “AI and digital innovations serving hard-hitting, facts-based environmental journalism”. The journalists were given an introduction to artificial intelligence tools, digital watch techniques and advanced search methods, with a special focus on the various impacts of climate disruption, especially on women.
Three other training courses have been pencilled in:
1. Fact-checking tools and techniques to push back against disinformation
2. Exploiting satellite imagery to take environment news reporting to a new level
3. Creating innovative content and storytelling for social media
A strategic project for the region and its partners
In partnership with the Asia Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD), the Terra Asia project aims to build the capacity and skills of public media outlets in a region that’s especially vulnerable to environmental issues. It is part of a regional cooperation dynamic to build capacity, providing perspectives for mobility, grants and training abroad in the second phase of the project.
At the closing cocktail party in Suva, the French ambassador, Julie Le Saos, reiterated just how important the project is:
Le Saos also underlined the media’s crucial role in pushing back against disinformation and encouraged the journalists to make the most of this opportunity.
