Thursday, april 24th, 2003

08.00—09.15: Registration (Ballroom lobby, Regent hotel).

09.30—10.30: Conference Opening (Ballroom).

Conference Chair: Riz KHAN, Broadcaster, journalist, Rizkhan Productions, USA

Welcome Address by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Mr. Nursultan NAZARBAYEV

Conference Co-chair: Mikhail SHVYDKOY, the Russian Minister of Culture

Video Address by the President of the European Commission Romano PRODI

Welcome note from the Director-General of UNESCO Koichiro Matsuura delivered by the Advisor to Director-General, Mr. Henrikas IOUCHKIAVITCHIOUS

Welcome and Conference Introduction by the Chair of the Eurasian Media Forum Organizing Committee, Dr. Dariga NAZARBAYEVA

10.30—11.00: Coffee break (Ballroom lobby).

11.00—11.15: Welcome note from the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Heydar ALIYEV delivered by the Director of Azerbaijan State News Agency Aslan ASLANOV

Welcome address from the State Secretary of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan Osmonakun IBRAIMOV

11.15—13.00: Plenary Session #1 (Ballroom).
EURASIA: CONFLICT AREAS AND THE ROLE OF MEDIA. POLITICAL CONTEXT
As the war with Iraq looms the global media finds itself in an increasingly more complex yet influential position. Governments and parliaments continue to debate whether the US led war on terror is legitimising the use of pre-emptive military action. And while politicians from various religious and cultural viewpoints differ over the rhetoric used to escalate the tension, both print and broadcast news organisations often run the risk of their coverage being politicised. How do international media outlets maintain their independence and an objective agenda in the face of impassioned public opinion and regional political pressures? Are they, to any extent, responsible for disseminating stereotypes and increasing public anxiety? Leading political and media figures will discuss the current geo-political situation and the key role of the media, with particular reference to the Eurasia region, which, with both links to East and West, occupies a key strategic position.

Chair: Riz Khan, Broadcaster, journalist, Rizkhan Productions, USA

Keynote speaker: Jean Fournet, Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy, NATO, Belgium
Panelists:

Simon Butt,Head of Eastern Department, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, UK
Aymeri de Montesquiou, Senator, Parliament of France
Alexander Rahr, Political scientist, Programme Director, German Council on Foreign Relations, Germany
Marat Tazhin, First deputy head of the President's Office, Kazakhstan
Irina Zvyagelskaya, Vice-president, International Center of Strategic and Political Studies, Russia

13.00—14.30: Lunch (Asian Cafe, Regent hotel).

14.30—16.00: Plenary Session #2 (Ballroom).
EURASIA: CONFLICT AREAS AND THE ROLE OF MEDIA. ECONOMIC CONTEXT
The strategic and economic significance of the Middle East's oil reserves has often been suggested as being one of the real reasons for the international community's interest in the area. And while both politicians and economic experts categorically discount the theory, oil is still viewed by some as one of the motivating factors behind the US drive to war with Iraq. Due in a large part to huge reserves in the Caspian Sea the Eurasia region has seen a rise in investment in recent years and the amount of media coverage has also increased accordingly. How important will the oil factor be in shaping the economic and geo-political significance of the region? How are these questions addressed in the media? Economic and business leaders discuss how the oil question may define the international profile of the region.

Producer: CNN
Chair: Richard Quest, Senior Business Editor (Europe), CNN, UK
Panelists:

Victor Kaluzhniy, Deputy Foreign Minister & Special Representative of the President for the Caspian Region, Russia
Mehti Safari, Special Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran on Caspian issues, Iran
Kairat Abuseitov, First vice-minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan
Khalaf Khalafov, Vice-minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan
Alexander Lesser, Partner, Kerman & Co Solicitors, UK
Anatoliy Barkovskiy, Deputy director, Center of Foreign Economic Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia

16.00—16.30: Coffee break (Ballroom lobby).

16.30—18.00: Plenary Session #3 (Ballroom).
EMERGENCY DEBATE — COVERING SARS. A NEW CHALLENGE
The recent outbreak of SARS in Asia, and now Canada, has represented a unique and challenging story for news organizations. Faced with a dangerous and previously unknown viral strain to what extent should the media act as a public information service? How should reporters convey news of governmental cover up's regarding the official number of cases without inducing fear and hysteria amongst the public? And are those covering the epidemic sufficiently educated and understanding of the medical symptoms and consequences involved?
Chair: Riz Khan, Broadcaster, journalist, Rizkhan Productions, USA
Panelists:

Gosta Liljeqvist, Executive director, GRASP, Australia
George Hoff, Director of newsgathering, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)
Stefan Pauli, correspondent, ZDF, Germany

18.30—22.00: Reception hosted by the Almaty Mayor Mr. Khrapunov.