Africa: Discussing the quality of information on Africa

The Univeristy of Sienna and the African Medical and
Research Foundation-Italy got together this week for a
critical reflection on the quality of information
offered by the media and non governmental
organisations on Africa.

Giulio Cederna the Research and Communications manager
AMREF Italy explained the difficulty he had of
avoiding stereotyping the African existence.

The research and health organisation produces health
conmmunication materials in Italy for fundraising and
awareness creation of the problems and successes of
Africa.

Jean Leonard Touadi a Journalist born in Congo
Brazille but works in TV and radio in Italy urged non
African journalists to develop the capacity to listen
to Africans.

Touadi who has been in living in Italy since the 70s
added that Non governmemntal organisations in the West
should support local groups that are developing skills
of self representation amongst the African populace.

They were speaking at the start of the International
Short film festival of Sienna organised and produced
by the assoication "CortoItalia Cinema."

Seven short films produced by AMREF in association
with Italian film makers will be viewed at the
festival. They are Muzungu by Giobbe Covatta, Pole
Pole by Fabio Fazio, La Febbre by Giuseppe cederna,
Baba Mandela by Riccardo Milani, the African Cine Week
award winner Tv Slum, Gulu and Speak Africa.

Massimo Gherili from the Foreign Affairs ministry
urged the media to seek to tell the story of
immigrants in an objective way.

As a followup to this reflection during this academic
year students from the department of communication
science at the University of Sienna will create an
observatory to monitor the conditions in which news
from Africa is transmitted in Italy.

AMREF is an african health and research organisation
founded in 1957 and headquartered in Nairobi Kenya.
It,s work involves malaria, HIV AIDS, street children,
clinical outreach and disaster management amongst
other health priorities on the African continent. It
has 12 international offices worldwide that work to
raise funds for its activities.