The Tiziano Project | blog

The 360 is coming... Check out our graduation ceremony!

By Victoria Fine on August 16, 2010 6:27 AM | No Comments

During the last few weeks, the Iraq team at The Tiziano Project has been working day and night to help our students finish their final videos and complete their stories. After a week of 12-hour days and longer nights, I'm so happy to say that everyone finished and with work that has impressed me beyond my wildest expectations. Our reporters covered everything from pigeon keepers to nomads, women drivers to master chefs. Their range of subjects really embodied what we've been trying to do in Kurdistan this whole summer-- To report on a region from every angle.

To celebrate the end of the program and award students for their hard work, we had a graduation ceremony and party for them on Thursday. Because it was the beginning of Ramadan, we were a little worried about the turnout for the event.

But it seemed that every person who had heard about our project wanted to be there for the final presentation. Our friends from International Republican Institute, the KDP, UNESCO and local news stations came to show their support and loved what the students produced. Even representatives from the U.S. embassy enjoyed the ceremony, and stayed to chat with our reporters and talk journalism with our mentors.

Jon gave a short speech and then the Kurdish Regional Government Minister of Culture was kind enough to come and present each of our students with their certificates of completion. We also gave out a few awards for students who had gone above and beyond the call of duty during the term.

I have to say that in my long career of sitting through award ceremonies, this was definitely the most fun one I've been to, mostly because it's impossible to make what we've done here sound boring.

If you missed it or just want to check out what we've been up to, you can watch the ceremony right here:

In the next few days we'll be unveiling our final project, The Tiziano Project | 360 Kurdistan. I'm not saying this lightly: You're gonna love it. Stay tuned!

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