Conflicts and War Crimes: Challenges for Coverage, Day One
A seminar for editors sponsored by The Crimes of War Project and The Freedom Forum

AGENDA: DAY ONE

Opening Remarks
Roy Gutman, International Security Reporter, Newsday, President, Crimes of War Project and John Owen, Director, The Freedom Forum, U.K.

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Panel One
What Will the Next War Look Like and What Will the International Community Do About It?
Moderator/Discussant: Michael Ignatieff, Author

This panel assessed the landscape of modern armed conflict and examined the major trends likely to extend into the next decade: Will humanitarian interventions as in Kosovo, or East Timor, become the norm, or remain exceptional? Will things simply get worse?

Introduction Michael Ignatieff

a) Military Perspective
Ralph Peters, Lt. Col. U.S. Army (Ret.), author of Fighting for the Future: Will America Triumph? (Stackpole, 1999).

b) International Responses
Aryeh Neier, President, Open Society Institute

c) The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Perspective
Ren� Kosirnik, Deputy Director, International Law and Communication, ICRC

d) Discussion (Panelists and audience)

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Special Guest Lecture
"War Crimes and Accountability: Main Areas of Concern"
Madeleine K. Albright, U.S. Secretary of State

Click here for the trascript of the follow-up discussion led by Amb. David Scheffer.

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Panel Two
The Riskiest Job of All: Photography on the Frontline
Moderator: Susan Moeller, Fellow, Joan Shorenstein Center on Press, Politics and Public Policy, The John F. Kennedy School at Harvard

An illustrated presentation, this panel picked up from the first by giving a first-hand look at the environments in which photographers must often work. This session provided an overview of how war crimes have been portrayed in photography and the issues that photographers face.

Panelists:
-Ron Haviv, Newsweek
-Gary Knight, Newsweek
-Steve Lehman, Firsthand Media

Click here for the Panel presentations. Click here for the discussion.

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Luncheon Discussion: Professional Issues
John Owen, Director, The Freedom Forum, U.K.

This luncheon discussion addressed the responsibilities of editors to the correspondents they send into conflict situations. It also looked at gaps in training and support from home offices, and the special problems of freelancers and stringers.

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Panel Three
Minimizing Risks
Moderator: John Owen, Director, The Freedom Forum, U.K.

This session provided an overview of the experience of the British security training firm Centurion in preparing journalists for dangerous situations.

Speaker: Paul Rees, Director, Centurion Risk Assessment Services Ltd.

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Panel Four
What do I do now, Boss?

Moderator/Umpire: Eugene Roberts, University of Maryland, School of Journalism

-Thom Shanker, Assistant Washington Editor, New York Times

-Tom Gjelten, Foreign Correspondent, National Public Radio

A number of scenarios presented participants with some typical practical and ethical dilemmas. Participants, by prior agreement, were selected from the editors attending. Presented with a scenario, they formulated and gave a statement as to what they, as professionals, would do.

Click here for transcript.

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Reception and Dinner with Keynote Address

"The Media and the Next War: What Role Will They Play?"

Olara A. Otunnu ,UN Under-Secretary-General, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict

(The transcript for this speech is not available. See Day 2 for Mr. Otunnu's remarks on Sierra Leone.)

Go to Day Two




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