Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma

This short documentary, directed by former TV reporter and 2005 Ochberg Fellow Mike Walter, features interviews with a range of journalists and experts from the Dart network.

The film grew out of a 2007 Dart Society project called Target: New Orleans that sent reporters to the Gulf Coast to lend a hand in post-Katrina reconstruction. The film interweaves this trip with reporters speaking candidly about the hardest stories they've covered and how, as Walter says, "breaking news can break you down."

More information about the Norrköping Filmfestival Flimmer can be found on the festival website.

The film will be screened with the documentary Mostar United at the Lilla Teatern at the following dates and times:

Saturday, Oct. 3, 6:15 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 6, 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 11, 12:00 p.m.

Update: Read about and listen to audio from this event: The Real Afghanistan.

Renowned journalists and Dart Center Ochberg Fellows David Loyn and Christina Lamb will take part in a panel discussion on a region they have been reporting on for decades: "In Afghanistan: Reporting America's War." What comes next? What are America’s options? Are more troops the inevitable answer?  Can the Taliban be defeated? And how is this long war shaping Afghanistan’s future?

Panelists

Bruce Shapiro, executive director of the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma (moderator)
David Loyn, correspondent for the BBC
Christina Lamb, correspondent for the Sunday Times of London

Details

The panel discussion will take place from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.

Columbia University, Graduate School of Journalism
World Room, 3rd Floor
116th Street and Broadway
New York, NY

Please RSVP and direct any questions to Kate Black at kate.black@dartcenter.org.

The International Committee of the Red Cross and the Australian Red Cross will host a cocktail function on October 8, starting at 5.30pm, to celebrate the Sydney opening of the Our World at War exhibition, now being shown in more than 40 countries worldwide. Speakers will include Tanja Mikulic, Sean Hobbs, Helen Durham and Jeremy England.

The exhibition features photographs by VII photographers James Nachtwey, Franco Pagetti, Antonin Kratochvil, Ron Haviv and Christopher Morris, capturing stories of loss, suffering and strength. They represent the culmination of a collaboration between the ICRC and the VII photo agency to document the global effects of armed conflict on the 60th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions.

Details

The exhibition will run from Oct. 8 to 28, Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Gallery, Darling Park
Tower 1
201 Sussex Street
Sydney, Australia

For more information about Our World at War, the related Our World Your Move campaign and a schedule of other global events, see the Our World Your Move website.

Fellowships will be awarded to mid-career journalists and editors in all media who have covered issues ranging from street crime, family violence and natural disasters to war and genocide. The five-day fellowship programme will offer a unique opportunity to learn from leading experts in the many dimensions of trauma and to forge relationships with colleagues who share their interests.

This programme is reserved for the 2009 Dart Asia Fellows.

The programme will take place Oct. 12 through Oct. 16.

Update: Read about and listen to audio from this past event: Covering Trauma in Latin America.

This workshop, “Covering Violence: Trauma and Journalism in Latin America,” will bring together 16 journalists from across Latin America along with leading mental health practitioners and trauma clinicians to address the special challenges faced in covering violence in Latin America — from war and civil conflict to humanitarian disasters, criminal violence and domestic abuse. The workshop will illuminate the impact of psychological trauma on journalists and the individuals and communities they cover; provide practical training in improving coverage of victims; and explore how news organizations in Latin America can encourage resilience in the face of continuing violence and threats.

This workshop is being organized by The Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma and the Maria Moors Cabot Prize Program, and sponsored by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. It will take place on Oct. 13 and Oct. 14.

Now in its 71st year — the oldest international award in journalism — the Maria Moors Cabot Prize honors journalists who have covered the Western Hemisphere and, through their reporting and editorial work, have furthered inter-American understanding.

The panel discussion is co-sponsored by the Institute for Latin American Studies at the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University and the Maria Moors Cabot program.

Panelists

Tom Trebat (moderator), executive director of the Institute of Latin American Studies
David Adams, Latin American Correspondent, Cabot Board Member and Past Medalist
Anthony DePalma, correspondent for The New York Times
Christopher Hawley, Latin America correspondent for USA Today and The Arizona Republic
Merval Pereira, columnist for O Globo

Details

The panel will take place from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Lecture Hall, 3rd Floor
Columbia University, Graduate School of Journalism
116th Street and Broadway
New York, NY

Art Works Projects and VII Photo Agency invite you to join media industry leaders in a conversation about photojournalism and its impact on domestic and international policy.

Participants

Leslie Thomas (moderator), executive director of Art Works Projects
Ron Haviv, VII photojournalist
John Prendergast, co-founder of the Enough Project
Noelle Lusane, staff director of the House Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health

Details

VII Gallery
28 Jay Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201

Panel will last from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m.

Please RSVP to mail@viiphoto.com

Cost is $10 ($5 for students)

War journalists lead hazardous lives. In the Dr. Julius Guild Memorial Lecture, "The Psychological Health of War Reporters; research and intervention in remote regions," Dr. Anthony Feinstein will examine the results from a series of studies involving journalists employed by CNN, BBC, CBC, Reuters and the Associated Press illustrating high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression and overall psychological distress. Case histories will be provided (in the form of video vignettes) in support of these findings. Data will also be presented that provide clues as to the many factors motivating journalists to pursue this dangerous work.  Finally, the challenges of trying to research and assist individuals working far from home, often in hostile environments where health services have broken down, will be discussed.

DETAILS

The Grand Hotel & Suites Toronto
225 Jarvis Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2C1

More details about the CGPA conference can be found at the official website.

Update: Read about this past event: The True 'Twitter Revolution.'

Iason Athanasiadis will discuss his experiences during the 2009 elections in Iran and the role that digital media played in the protests.

Iason Athanasiadis is a regular contributor to GlobalPost and the Christian Science Monitor who was arrested last year and held in an Iranian prison for several weeks.

This event is sponsored by the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma, the School of International and Public Affairs and SIPA's International, Media, Advocacy and Communications specialization.

Details

The brown bag will last from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m.

Room 1302
International Affairs Building
420 West 118th St.
New York City, NY

For more information please contact Liyu Sheng at ls2713@columbia.edu.

Paul Kandell, journalism adviser at Palo Alto High School, and Sue Lockett-John, programming and research associate at Dart Center West, will lead three, hour-long sessions for high school journalists and advisers:

2:30 p.m. Introduction to covering trauma and tragedy

3:30 p.m. Newsroom leadership for covering trauma or tragedy (for editors)

4:30 p.m. Preparing and advising student reporters for trauma or tragedy (for advisers)

For more information and to register for the convention see the official website.

Dart Center Ochberg Fellows Kari Rene Hall and Kim Komenich will discuss covering trauma as photojournalists in the keynote address of the JACC's annual conference for southern California.

The conference will be held at California State University, Fullerton on Oct. 23 and 24.

For more information and to register for the conference, see the official website.

Panelists will provide tips and tools for young reporters covering trauma, focusing on what media workers need to know about the psychology of trauma in order to be better journalists and more sensitive interviewers — and how to take care of themselves.

Panelists will include:

Meg Spratt, University of Washington
Donna DeCesare, University of Texas School of Journalism
Kelly Furnas, Virginia Tech University
Rachele Kanigel, San Francisco State University

This panel is a part of the annual convention held by the College Media Advisers, taking place from Oct. 28 though Nov. 1. For more information and to register for the convention see the official website.

This workshop will bring students of journalism and nursing together with practicing journalists. On day one participants will take part in an experiential role-play based around a mass-casualty incident. On the second morning, leading Spanish journalists will present their personal work and discuss their approach to covering violence and tragedy. 

The programme has been jointly developed by the Faculty of Information Science and the School of Nursing, in association with Dart Centre Europe and the Spanish Society of Psychotraumatology, Traumatic Stress and Dissociation. 

PARTICIPANTS

David Beriain, war reporter for Cuatro

Sergio Caro, photojournalist

Elaine Cobbe, correspondent for CBS

Monica Codina, professor of communication at the University of Navarra

Alejandro Navas, professor of communication at the University of Navarra

Franscisco Orengo, psychiatrist and president of SEPET+D

DETAILS

Edificio de Communicación, Aula 12
Universidad de Navarra, 
Pamplona, Spain

October 30, 10:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Practical workshop
October 31, 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Reporting seminar

Cost: 30€ for students attending both days

For more information please contact Maite Martinez at mmartinez@unav.es

Update: Read about this past event: Tips for Staying Sane.

Cait McMahon, managing director of Dart Centre Australasia, and Heather Forbes, director of news training for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, will lead a discussion of practical skills for staying resilient when covering the most difficult stories. Pizza will be served.

Cait McMahon has trained journalists worldwide for such challenging assignments as the Indonesian tsunami and the Khmer Rouge genocide trials. Heather Forbes has collaborated with Dart Centre Australasia in developing a pioneering peer trauma support program for Australian Broadcasting Corporation newsrooms.

Details

The brown bag will last from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Stabile Student Center
Graduate School of Journalism
2950 Broadway
New York City, NY