Cultural training for journalists

JAKARTA (JP): The Jakarta chapter of the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI Jaya) in cooperation with the Jakarta Art Council will hold a training course for journalists to enable them to widen their cultural knowledge.

An agreement has already been signed by PWI Jaya's chairman Tarman Azzam and the council's representative Adhi Moershid, Antara reported yesterday.

Based on the agreement, the council's lecturers will teach or discuss a wide variety of art topics with journalists who usually cover art and cultural events.

Yusuf Susilo Hartono, coordinator of journalists covering art and cultural events, said the decision to hold such a course was based on the fact that only a few journalists have a cultural education background.

"So we need to give them theoretical backgrounds on art and culture," Yusuf said.

Topics to be discussed will include art, women, law and culture. The course will also feature some speakers, such as play director N. Riantiarno and poet Goenawan Mohamad. (jun)