Empowering Environmental Investigative Journalism in the South Caucasus

In the early stage of the project, the Investigative Media Lab (IML) at the University of Georgia (under the direction of Anna Gvarishvili) organised a four-day intensive training in environmental journalism in Tbilisi in March 2024 for nine journalists from Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.

The programme, led by investigative journalists Catalin Prisacariu and Atanas Tchobanov, covered various topics, including environmental issues, data analysis, GIS, legal considerations, investigative techniques, storytelling, and transmedia platform building.

Participants formed investigative teams to delve into water resource management, a critical regional issue.    

Nino Tsverava, a young Georgian investigative journalist from Studio Monitor, shared her impressions after the training: "One of the most interesting and worthwhile things, in my opinion, was learning about new reporting techniques and tools. In addition, I gained knowledge of storytelling techniques and data visualization, which I will use in the future."  

Knar Khudonyan, an Armenian journalist, said, "I want to thank the organizers and Journalismfund Europe for their care and readiness to help us carry out investigations that matter to people, for giving local journalists a say, and for valuing our experience. The workshop design enabling trans-border collaborations is essential in a region with many conflicts."

In the second half of the project, in summer 2024, the teams embark on their investigative work. The mentors will continue to provide ongoing support for the participants, as the latter are required to join their efforts in production of a collaborative investigation on water resources.