From left to right: Mehmet Koksal (EJF, presenter), Mustafa Kuleli (TGS, Turkey), Eva Werner (DJV), Mogens Blicher Bjerregård (EJF President, Denmark), Stephen Spence (Equity UK). Foto: Andreas K. Bittner

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For the German Federation of Journalists (DJV), the main challenges are to develop strategies to arrest the continuing slight decline in member numbers, Eva Werner told the audience. This is no easy task since a main reason for the decrease is the on-going reduction of work for journalists in Germany in general. Many newspapers have ceased to exist. Every year, there are fewer and fewer permanent employees.

She agreed with the other participants in the discussion that apart from pointing out the actual advantages of a membership in a union, the unions must ensure that members who are active for the union on a voluntary basis also get to have fun. Another important point she made in Copenhagen is to increase the confidence of the young journalists. Because of their circumstances, their self-esteem is often not as high as it should be. So it must be our task to strengthen their belief in their skills. She informed the audience that there are Facebook and Twitter accounts managed by our young members. This would be one example of how they can gain self-esteem and create a new community.

It was very inspiring for her to listen to Mustafa Kuleli’s remark about how many young people are part of the board and committees of the Journalists' Union in Turkey. Most of all, she was impressed to learn of the details of the large annual Media Festival, organised by the Danish Journalists’ Union.

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This is what Eva Werner wrote for DJV-news 404:

Europäische Gewerkschaften auf Mitgliedersuche

Wie können Journalistenorganisationen neue, junge Mitglieder gewinnen? Darum ging es am 11. Mai
beim Treffen der Europäischen Journalisten-Föderation (EJF) in Kopenhagen. Einig waren sich
die Diskutanten Mogens Blicher Bjerregård (EJFPräsident,Dänemark), Eva Werner (DJV),
Stephen Spence (Equity UK, Großbritannien) und Mustafa Kuleli (TGS, Türkei), dass neben den faktischen Vorteilen einer Mitgliedschaft der Spaß der Aktiven nicht zu kurz kommen darf. Die
Journalistenorganisationen müssten dazu beitragen, das Selbstbewusstsein der jungen Journalisten zu
stärken, betonte Eva Werner. Bogens Blicher Bjerregård hob die Bedeutung von großen
Veranstaltungen für junge Leute einschließlich Musik und Party hervor. Entscheidend sei auch, dass genug junge Mitglieder in allen Gremien vertreten seien, betonte Mustafa Kuleli (TGS, Türkei).