Pictures from the CIJ Forum and Launch of 2009 Annual Review

The panel (from left): Insany Syahbarwati, Jacqueline Ann Surin, Dr Mustafa K Anuar and Prangtip Daoreung, with CIJ's Executive Officer Masjaliza Hamzah (middle) who acted as moderator.

From the Facebook of CIJ's Executive Officer Masjaliza Hamzah

Thanks to all who attended and supported the Centre for Independent Journalism World Forum on Building Peace Across Communities to commemorate World Press Freedom Day on 8 May. Good turnout for a Saturday morning event (50+, including a journalism lecturer from Taylor's College in Kuala Lumpur who brought his students along!).

People stayed on for 2.5 hours listening to the panellists -- Insany Syahbawarti, Jacqueline Ann Surin, Prangtip Daorueng and Dr Mustafa K. Anuar. Not a single person left until it was truly over.

The level of discussion was very good. Insany gave an excellent presentation in Bahasa Indonesia (Siew Eng worked with her for the English powerpoint version of her presentation and gave simultaneous powerpoint translation into English -- quite a feat!).

Insany (left) spoke from the heart about her personal dilemma as a journalist caught in a religious conflict situation in Maluku, Indonesia, -- very powerful stuff -- especially when she talked about her identity as a Muslim and her role as a journalist.

(Short report to come. Watch this blog!).