Dr. Wolfgang Ressmann, Chairman Youth4Media NGO, studied political science and economy at the University of Mannheim, where he made his PhD degree too. He startet his career with working for members of the European and German parliament. He also worked as a town councillour and deputy mayor in Neustadt/Weinstraße (Germany).
He is also chairman of the “Bundesverband Bürgermedien” – the organisation of public-access channels in Germany. Since his university times he has been working with media – print, radio and TV. Since the 80s Dr. Ressmann also worked on the international level, especially Eastern Europe and Latin America and China.
Yevhen Tsymbalenko (University of Mannheim, Institute for Media and Communication Studies, Germany)
Co-organizer
Yevhen Tsymbalenko is a Researcher at the University of Mannheim, Institute for Media and Communication Studies, Associate Professor, PhD in Social Communications Sciences. Dr. Tsymbalenko is an experienced scholar and media trainer who collaborates with NGOs worldwide to develop a media education system and help the audience to analyse the news. His scientific interests encompass transformations in media communications, internet and media safety, media literacy, digital journalism, and distance education. He has published over 50 articles in scientific journals. He has teaching experience in Poland (Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, Jan Dlugosz University in Czestochowa), Hungary (Central European University), and Great Britain (The Bath Spa University). He also has extensive experience in Erasmus+ and DAAD project writing and implementation.
Mkrtich Tonoyan is an Armenian artist whose work in performance and installation questions the hegemonic militaristic practices inherent in war and its power structures. He initiated and is a member of of the Artists’ Union of Armenia (since 2005), co-founder of “Akos” Cultural NGO (2002) and current president of the AKOS Cultural NGO, founder of the “Art Centre of Social Studies” (ACOSS) international artists-in-residence program (2006), and co-founder of the Microresidence International Network (2012). Tonoyan graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Yerevan in 2002 and has exhibited his work and presented at numerous national and international art events, galleries, and universities, including Dunlop Art Gallery’s 2017 exhibition, Station 7/Mkrtich Tonoyan: Forays in Military Art.
Hrant Melik – Shahnazaryan is founder and chairman of the Center for Strategic Research NGO and Times.am Social-Political Analytic portal. He is also editor in chief of Voskanapat.info news website, which is focused on analyzing conflicts, particularly war in Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) and Armenia.
Andrei Bastunets Chairperson of Belarusian Association of Journalists, (since 2015). The “Femida-NOVA” newspaper’s Deputy Editor-in-chief (1998 – 2000), Expert and Head of the Law Center for Media Protection at BAJ (1998 – 2015), author and presenter of I Have the Right TV program (Belsat TV Channel, Poland) (2008- 2011), Lecturer of European Humanities University (2008 – 2013), One of the authors of the Concept of reforming media legislation of the Republic of Belarus, the Concept of modernization of media legislation of the Republic of Belarus in the sphere of protection of the national information space, as well as a number of draft laws in the field of media.
Volodymyr Danyliuk (Lutsk, Ukraine)
Chairman of the Board of a the “Forum of Ukrainian Journalists,” Secretary of the “National Union of Journalists of Ukraine,” editor-in-chief of the newspaper “Volynska Gazeta” (Lutsk, Ukraine).
His journalistic career starts as a correspondent for the newspaper “Trudova Vakhta” (served in the Chernobyl accident zone), editor of the department in the newspaper “Moloda Volyn,” “Viche,” special correspondent for the “Kievskie Vedomosti,” “Komanda,” and “The magazine Ukraine.”
Volodymyr is the Honored Journalist of Ukraine and many awards, particularly the Order of Merit of the III degree, the Order of the Republic of Austria “For Merit”, the badge of the National Union of Journalists “Journalistic Dignity”, ect. He actively cooperates with foreign partners —organizes international exchanges of professional experience in Poland and Belarus, and internships for young journalists in cooperation with multiple Ukrainian universities.
Cristina Bobirca is the head of API Training and Organizational Development Department. She contributes to implementation of various support media programs for journalists, local and national media organizations, coordinate european funded projects.
Since 2010, she is working in nongovernamental media sector, including communication, development and public relations segment.
Petru Macovei is the Executive Director of the Association of Independent Press (API) from Republic of Moldova since the year 2006. His experience in journalism dates with the year 1991: worked as reporter, editor and editor-in-chief to an independent regional newspaper, served as a radio editor, presented a debate show at Moldova 1 Public Television.
As national expert in mass-media development, Mr. Macovei took part in numerous international topic-based conferences. He serves as national trainer in journalistic ethics and professional deontology.
Mr. Macovei is the secretary of Moldova Press Council – journalistic self-regulatory structure which examines the complaints of media consumers against journalists and promotes quality journalism.
Anastasia Volobuieva, Educational and Scientific Institute of Journalism, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Ukraine.
Anastasia Volobuieva is Deputy Director for Research and Education (International Affairs), PhD in Social Communications Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Print media and History of Journalism, Secretary General of the Ukrainian Sports Press Association, Head of Communications of Special Olympics Ukraine.
Her fields of scientific and professional interest include sports journalism, women in sports/sport journalism, and gender and media.
