Closing of the National Environmental and Climate Communication Workshop in Palestine
The National Environmental and Climate Communication Workshop concluded at the Media Center of An-Najah National University in Nablus Governorate, West Bank. The workshop was organized as part of the WES-BCA Component II project in cooperation with the Sawsana Platform a Media program of Witness Center – SHAHID, with support from the European Union, the Palestinian Environment Quality Authority, and the Palestinian Water Authority.
The workshop brought together representatives of the European Union Office in Jerusalem, government institutions, and civil society organizations. It also welcomed journalists, media professionals, journalism students from various Palestinian universities and media outlets, as well as members of environmental networks. Participation was further expanded through Zoom, allowing environmental and climate professionals from several Arab countries to join remotely.
The workshop aimed to strengthen the capacity of journalists, media professionals, and civil society organizations to effectively communicate environmental and climate issues and produce professional media content that promotes environmental awareness and scientific communication.
Sessions explored the key challenges facing environmental, scientific, and climate journalism in Palestine, emphasizing the media’s vital role in improving public understanding of climate change and strengthening environmental awareness. Participants also discussed the importance of linguistic accessibility, noting that most scientific research is published in English, which requires greater efforts to translate and simplify scientific knowledge into Arabic for local audiences.
The training program included practical sessions on environmental storytelling, as well as hands-on training in producing short-form visual content (Reels) using simple tools and creating engaging digital content on environmental and climate-related topics.
Participants also worked in groups to develop prototype stories and awareness campaign concepts ready for implementation, transforming the knowledge gained during the workshop into practical communication initiatives.
The workshop highlighted the growth of the Sawsana Platform over the past two years and its contribution to producing specialized content on environmental, energy, and climate issues.
The workshop concluded with a comprehensive evaluation session, during which participants reflected on the key lessons learned, received certificates of participation, and discussed follow-up plans to implement the initiatives developed throughout the workshop, further strengthening environmental and climate communication efforts in Palestine and the region.