Democracy without violence: the PNJDD and the COCP learning communication techniques

The National Platform of Young Leaders of the Axis for Democracy and Development (PNJDD) and the National Coalition for Peace in Guinea, represented by the Circle of Orientation for the Consolidation of Peace (COCP) benefited from a three-day training (from November 17 to 19, 2021), in Conakry, on communication techniques.

Funded by German cooperation (WFD), through the Democracy Without Violence/Smart Baylonette Program, the workshop mobilized 28 young people (including a woman) and was led by journalists Algassimou Diallo (known as Aboubakr) and Boubacar Bah, commonly called Azoka.

Questioned by the media at the end of the training yesterday, Friday, the latter explained, as a facilitator, the importance for these young people of knowing how to communicate, how to behave in front of the press, how to organize and lead press briefings , managing rumours, social networks, etc.

“We have developed communication techniques for the participants. Hear here all that there is as internal and external communication tools. In addition to that, we showed the young people how to behave in front of the press, how to organize a press briefing, a press conference and others. We helped them to have all the necessary tools to avoid pitfalls in communication. We have also developed techniques for managing rumors and social networks. We ended with the techniques for developing a communication plan and the main criteria to take into account. We went from theory to practice, by organizing group work, "explained Azoka Bah, who did not fail to put his finger on the behavior to adopt during a crisis communication and why it is necessary to avoid relaying a rumor.

For his part, Houda Sow, the President of the PNJDD, was delighted with this training for its members and welcomed the commitment of the partner.

“We initiated this training to communicate well in front of the media and in front of the public. For three days, we followed themes that will allow us to considerably improve our communication skills. And we thank our partner and we seek his support for the multiplication of this theme to all our members, especially those in the interior of the country and in the different administrative regions of Guinea”, asked the President of the PNJDD.

On behalf of German Cooperation, through the WFD program, Kaly Diallo, representing the Program Without Violence/Smart Bayonet, expressed her full availability to accompany these young leaders for the consolidation of peace and the rule of law in Guinea.

"We are the ones who initiated this training program for the national platform of young leaders of the axis for democracy and development (PNJDD) and the Circle of orientation for the consolidation of peace (COCP) who work in the framework of the prevention and management of rumour. And we are helping them to do a lot of activities on the ground. It is in this context that we considered it useful and appropriate to equip them with communication techniques to improve the presentation of their structures in public, to allow them to better present what they are doing in the context of the fight against violence and the consolidation of peace in our country", explained this human rights activist.

It should be remembered that both of these Guinean civil society platforms were inspired by the Democracy Without Violence/Smart Baylonette Program. They cover the whole country and have more than a thousand members.

Abdallah BALDE for Guineematin.com

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