Almost 30 programme and communications staff from 10 UN agencies (WHO, ILO, UNODC, UNIC, UNDP, OHCHR, UNAIDS, UNICEF, UNHCR, WFP) operating in the Russian Federation took part in the workshop that was led by Adam Rogers, Senior Strategic Communication Advisor for UNDP in Geneva, and Marius Lukosiunas, Advisor for Communication and Information, UNESCO Moscow Office.

The workshop allotted particular attention to introducing C4D concepts and recent developments, such as the latest inter-agency round table held in Washington in March, and covered best practices.

A significant part of the training was based on UNESCO’s “Media development indicators: a framework for assessing media development”, which was distributed among the participants and will serve as a guide to develop media projects in the Russian Federation. The workshop also targeted specific country related issues which, in the case of the Russian Federation, included HIV and AIDS prevention programmes and youth empowerment in the North Caucasus.

Participants welcomed the concrete added value of continued examination of C4D best practices and suggested that UN agencies be more proactive in organizing activities aimed at kick-starting development through media projects.

One of the workshop’s most important conclusions is that more emphasis should be placed on developing a common C4D strategy for UN work in the Russian Federation. This will increase the efficiency of the entire UN Country team, and add considerably support national efforts towards development.