PJ-counterterrorism project seeks lasting impact in Uganda

This weeks's training the trainer seminar in Kampala.

The four of us who have conducted the peace media and counterterrorism trainings this last month or so in Uganda have begun ribbing one another about our lessons and presentations, poking fun at my PSA, for example. We’ve had the most fun lampooning a presentation made by John Hamilton wherein he talks about pebbles making tiny ripples in a pond while big rocks make large waves.

In the last day of our last seminar today, Carol Getty, in an act that can best be described as “yanking the chain” of myself and my other Park University colleague Ken Christopher, insisted on giving Hamilton’s pond/rocks lecture. While I was watching, as much as I hate to admit it, I realized that the presentation was prophetic.

Training the trainer, Kampala

As we wrap up our Ugandan courses, I realize that John, Ken, Carol and I have thrown a number of rocks into some Ugandan ponds during the last four weeks.

Some of these rocks have landed in ponds patrolled by Ugandan security forces, the army and police. They came to our seminars with distaste for journalism and individual journalists, and a disdain for the professionalism of reporters. They did not leave our seminars adoring the journalists, but I believe that they did acquire a better understanding about the needs of journalists and the business of the profession. I am hopeful that security forces left our workshops with a bit more respect for journalists.

We tossed other rocks in ponds overseen by local government officials, called LC’s here (Local Councils). They came to our seminars with the same negative attitudes about journalists. Like their security brethren, I believe they left with a greater understanding of journalism and of the need to cooperate with journalists to disseminate anti-terrorism messages.

Training the trainer, Kampala

As for the journalists, they came in with low opinions of both security and government. I’m hopeful they left with a better appreciate the awesome responsibility security and government officials have in keeping the public safe. And I believe the reporters, and the journalism trainers who we taught the last three days (training the trainer), have a better understanding now of their role in working with public officials to keep Uganda safe.

What we don’t know yet is how far our ripples will travel. Our project coordinator Gloria Laker of the Peace Journalism Foundation will be conducting a comprehensive survey in a few months to collect data about the impact of our U.S. State Department-sponsored project. But as I’ve implied, based on the positive, even enthusiastic response from the 110 or so seminar attendees we’ve trained in the last month, I will be surprised if our work here doesn’t have a deep, lasting impact.

On a Personal Note...

I’ve taught 50 or so seminars now in Uganda, but these last six with my colleagues Ken Christopher, Carol Getty, and John Hamilton have been, by far, the best—the best instruction, the best feedback from students, the best discourse, the best everything. I screw up fairly frequently, so I will pat myself on the back for selecting these three outstanding Park University professors for my Uganda team. They were terrific instructors and companions. Thank you, Ken, Carol, and John.

BTW, colleagues, I am already planning our next collaboration.

(Photo: Ken Christopher, front; Carol Getty and John Hamilton, behind; yours truly, back left. Photo stolen from Ken Christopher's blog).