“The meeting had provided for the frank exchange of opinions (that) will make our eyes a little more open, and eventually help us journalists contribute more for the development of mankind.” – Mr. Yoshinori Imai, Executive Editor, NHK Japan.
OVERVIEW
Organised in collaboration with the Department for Communication and Culture of the Foreign Ministry of Finland, this third edition of the Asia-Europe Editors’ Roundtable series was held to attract chief editors and senior journalists from prominent European and Asian media organisations to Helsinki, to familiarise and update them with current developments on topics addressed in the ASEM process.
Before discussions began, participants enjoyed a breakfast meeting hosted by Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen and President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso. The chief editors received updates on Asia-Europe co-operation, particularly on Finland’s and the EU’s interests in pursuing relations through the ASEM process.
The roundtable’s morning session, entitled “Dialogue Among Cultures And Civilisation’s Need For Socially Responsible Journalism,” saw participants agreeing that globalisation and the growth of multicultural societies had increased the responsibility of the media to share best practices in reporting sensitive subjects, both domestically and internationally. Participants highlighted the need for the media to find an appropriate balance between freedom of expression and respect for cross-cuIturaI differences.
The roundtable’s second session, held in the afternoon, addressed the subject “Shared Responsibility In Sustainable Development And Resource Management – Promoting Asia-Europe Partnership.” In this session, participants emphasised that short-term economic growth must not come at the expense of further degradation of the environment and the depletion of non-renewable resources.
MODERATORS
Mr. Tapani Ruokanen, Editor-in-Chief, Suomen Kuvalehti, Finland
Mr. Patrick Daniel, Managing Editor, Singapore Press Holdings
