The summer camp “News Camp Ukraine-Germany” took place in the Carpathians. It was the first stage of a joint Ukrainian-German media project.

Students from the Sumy State University (Sumy), the Pylyp Orlyk International Classical University (Mykolaiv), the Ivan Franko University (Lviv), the Vinnytsia University participated in the project. The co-organizers were the Institute for Democracy, Media and Cultural Exchange (Germany), the Center for Journalistic Solidarity of the Lviv Regional Union of Journalists, the Lviv Media Forum.

SumDU was represented at the media training by three students and Alla FEDORYNA (associate professor from the Department of Journalism and Philology).

For several days, the camp participants actively learned from well-known professional journalists, media managers and media experts. They developed a plan for making video stories. Analyzed effective fact-checking strategies. Studied how to ask questions of artificial intelligence. Deepened their knowledge of media manipulation. Learned goals of informational attacks and their impact on audience.

Participants not only worked hard but also had fun. On the first training day, Alla FEDORYNA initiated a circle of acquaintances, which became a daily morning ritual.

“Every evening, students from different parts of Ukraine played a board game called “Find the Spy”. They looked for a spy or proved that you were not the one. They also attended a pottery master class to make clay figurines, jugs, candlesticks or plates. In the camp, everyone became one team. They met the sunset together. We took pickup trucks to the Velykyi Verkh mountain, which the locals also call Zakhar Berkut. We sang Ukrainian songs along the way, enjoyed the mountain views, and took pictures. The second project stage is ahead. We are waiting for it,” – shared her impressions Yulia Lahuta (SumDU representaive).