British Embassy launches training programme for government press officers

The British Embassy in Chisinau has launched a training programme for press officers and spokespersons representing twelve institutions of the central public administration, including the Office of the Prime Minister, Parliament and Presidential Apparatus. The project is implemented by Thomson Foundation – a world renowned NGO with vast experience in media development and communication. It will run from 15-26 January at the World Bank Office in Moldova, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to a press release from the British Embassy, the driving ethos of this programme is that government press offices play an important role in providing sound public service. Participants will learn about the latest thinking on how government communications can best meet the needs of local citizens, including practical information on how to prepare TV and radio appearances, policy speeches and formulation of longer-term publicity campaigns. In addition to this, participants will have an opportunity to learn about modern best practices in government-media interaction and internal government communication. As the British Ambassador to Moldova, Mr. John Beyer underlines, “working with the media is an essential ingredient of good governance everywhere. Understanding the needs of the public is a key to raising awareness of government services and to designing truly informative communications campaigns”. The current project aims to support and build the institutional capacity of Moldovan central public administration thus contributing to an improved communication internally and with the Moldovan public.