BEIJING, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- An online journalism training program for media professionals from BRICS countries kicked off on Friday.
The BRICS International Journalism Online Training Program was jointly launched by member institutions of the BRICS Media Forum's presidium. Lecturer representatives and trainees from BRICS countries attended the online opening.
A total of 25 trainees from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa will take lectures on BRICS cooperation, news reporting, digital and video journalism, among others. Their lecturers include academics and seasoned journalists from the five countries.
He Ping, executive chairman of the BRICS Media Forum and president of Xinhua News Agency, addressed the opening of the training program by video.
He said the program, proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the 13th BRICS Summit in September this year, reflects the common aspiration of BRICS media and is of great significance to enhancing communication and exchanges among BRICS media.
It also helps promote steady, concrete and long-term BRICS cooperation, he said.
He expressed his hope that this program will help the participants deepen communication and enhance mutual understanding, so as to better demonstrate the development achievements of BRICS countries, promote exchanges and cooperation among BRICS countries, and strengthen the voice of BRICS in the international arena, in a bid to make new contributions to promoting the shared human values and building a community with a shared future for humanity.
Heads of other presidium member institutions, namely Brazil's CMA Group, Russia's Sputnik International News Agency and Radio, India's The Hindu, and South Africa's Independent Media, expressed their congratulations on the training's opening in their video speeches, noting that the event will help improve professional competence and promote the exchanges among and joint development of BRICS media.
Launched in 2015, the BRICS Media Forum mechanism was proposed by Xinhua and jointly initiated with mainstream media from the five countries.
The training program will last for three months.