The M100 Young European Journalists Workshop took place for the first time in 2005 within the context of the M100 Sanssouci Colloquium and was called M100 Youth Media Workshop until 2012. M100 and the City of Potsdam in co-operation with the European Youth Press and supported by the Federal Foreign Office offer young journalists an intensive training and the opportunity to gain direct access to leading media personalities from the whole of Europe.
The workshop is directed at a young generation of journalists and editors between the ages of 18 of 26 from all over Europe. In addition to the cultivation of practical and theoretical knowledge relating to journalism and journalistic work, the workshop also seeks to generate long-term links and contact among participants.
MEMORIES OF THE M100 YOUNG EUROPEAN JOURNALISTS WORKSHOP
"I remember arriving at the train station in Potsdam six years ago, looking forward to the five-day adventure. Although we had an October-like weather at the end of August the whole time, working together with 27 colleagues of mine from different nations from Latvia to Georgia, trying to find out what the future of journalism will be like was an experience I still recall from time to time. Visiting the editorial office of Axel Springer, working on our reports together, walking the streets of Berlin I’d never been to before, drinking green beer at a pub, having our multilingual conversations… The future we talked about then is now, and I don’t know if it’s like we thought it would be, but every time I get some news from my co-participants of M100 on Facebook I wish to relive those five days – and not just because I was six years younger then. I don’t miss the weather though."
Szilvia Mohai, Ungarn/Hungary (2008)
"I have to say it was brilliant: brilliant in the sense that we achieved a great result. It led to a conclusion that came from a discussion and the hard work of 20 people coming from all over Europe that shared their points of views. And that was really wonderful.”
Karol Pawlowicki, Poland (2013)
“After participating in the 2013 edition of the M100 Young European Journalists Workshop many of us felt that the potential gathered in the workshop should not go to waste. We stay in touch, learn of each other’s achievements and congratulate for them.
With some of us the collaboration has stretched further. In our case, me and Romanian journalist Lucian Balanuta applied for a European Media Exchange Grant developed by the MEDIANE programme (Media in Europe for Diversity Inclusiveness), a joint effort by the Council of Europe and the European Union. The teamwork skills and sense of professionalism acquired at the M100 workshop, help us produce a story on European youth issues, the kind of long articles we dream of writing someday. Our work “For a fistful of opportunities”, was considered a “selected contribution” in the Writing for CEE Journalism Prize.
I am sure that all those achievements will prove useful for our careers. Networking, collaboration and camaraderie are crucial assets in journalism; something that M100 helped me realize. Now, when Lucian and I tell the story of our collaboration we always begin by saying: It all started in M100...”
Albert Guasch Rafael, Spain (2013)
“In 2011 I was the only participant from Kosovo in M100 Youth Media Workshop. The experience that I have gained from this workshop has influenced positively in my professional development. It was absolutely impressive and pleasure to meet young journalists from different countries around the world, thirsty to deepen their knowledge about the profession of journalist. Thanks to M100 Youth Media Workshop I have created contact with one of the participants, my colleague Marek Gorges from Czech Republic with whom we worked together for more than one year in his portal Pressexpress.”
Labinot Hajdari, Kosovo (2011), Co-Founder of the Kosovo Center of Diplomacy
"One of the best experiences I have had so far."
Anna Saraste, Finland (2012)
"I would never have believed that I can learn such a lot."
Corinna Vetter, Germany (2012)
"The M100 workshop in Potsdam was a great professional experience. In the next years I longed for a similar opportunity for informal learning, hands-on journalistic practice and the opportunity for deep discussions. Still, it was nearly impossible to find an equivalent experience, the 2009 M100 Sanssouci Colloquium was truly unique and I remember it now as an important moment of professional empowerment. M100 is a network, it is our network."
Brindusa Luciana Grosu, Romania (2009)
“The M1OO Workshop helped me to look on my country from the different angle and helped me in a lot development of my professional contacts network. The workshop teached me how to communicate and also explained me the importancy of listening and being heard. The workshop also gave me the clear understanding that I want to work in media and for good of my country or region. That workshop was one of the brightest educational events I've participated in.”
Christina Karchevskaya, Belarus (2008)
"The workshop four years ago provided me with many interesting insights into investigative journalism and brought me into contact with so many fantastic people,” he says. “M100 strengthened my desire to work internationally and in an investigative way. And I am still in touch today with many of the participants and instructors from that time."
Daniel Drepper, Germany (2010)
"I had an exquisite chance to meet people from different backgrounds, who inspired me with their thinking manners, creativity, enthusiasm and directness. I did not only make new contacts and friends, but I also gained a whole new perspective on modern journalism. The working sessions covered numerous interesting and relevant issues related to online journalism and youth participation in media, as well as discussions with extraordinary guest speakers. Blending theory with practice was the second best thing that I experienced during the workshop. Whether you are a newbie who recently took the pen with an immense wish to write or someone with hundreds of articles behind – M100 Youth Media Workshop is a journey worth taking!"
Mila Damyanoska, Macedonia (2011)
"The workshop had crucial impact not only developing my skills in the field of media, but another positive role had of making new contacts and expanding my network with young people from different countries. M100 offered me the opportunity to develop my performances, to become not only a professional journalist /columnist, but boosted my motivation to develop my career in public institutions as well as NGOs."
Labinot Hajdari, Kosovo (2011)
"Seeing M100 posts in my Facebook timeline always means filling with great emotions for me. These were four or five days that I fell in love with so many stunning people so I even can't remember doing so since that time. (Sabine, what do you use for your selection process? That should be definitely something from alchemy books!) These great days of teamwork, hot discussions, hours in studio and on warm autumn Berlin/Potsdam streets will be always the best days I ever spent as a part of any international project. Years past, I'm still in love with the places we were able to visit these days which makes me trying to visit Berlin as often as I can afford, year after year with a slight hope to meet all the folks again!"
Oleksii Pedosenko, Ukraine (2009)
