My name is Aicha, a journalism student and a member of the Media Connect Network. About a year ago, I started my journey with this network, which brings together young media professionals from North Africa and the Middle East in a vibrant space for exchange and learning. It never occurred to me then, just a few months later, that I, along with my colleagues Randa and Inas, would be leading a team representing Algeria as part of a regional initiative launched and funded by EU Neighbours South under the inspiring slogan:  Let’s Be Constructive.

This initiative is Newsroom Connect: a unique space that brought together seven countries, seven teams, and one common mission – advancing constructive journalism across borders. Newsroom Connect was part of Media Week 2025, organized by EU Neighbours South from 3 to 9 July. An entire week was dedicated to the new generation of journalists in the region, with programmes that included field articles and interactive online sessions on issues as diverse as solutions journalism and the dual challenges faced by women media entrepreneurs. One of the highlights of the week was Newsroom Connect, an intense 48-hour editorial marathon, held simultaneously in Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia. Students, young journalists and professional mentors worked as a cross-border team to create multimedia content that highlights practical solutions to major regional challenges, from climate change to education, employment, gender issues and social inclusion.

At the heart of this event is the Media Connect Network, a dynamic regional platform that brings together a rising generation of media professionals, who have actively contributed to the success of the week’s events through content production, nation-wide activities, and the exchange of experiences. The ultimate goal remains, that is to promote constructive, ethical and high-quality journalism.

For many participants, the Newsroom Connect experience had an impact that went beyond professional training. As Tunisian journalism student Noura Omri says, « The Newsroom Connect project was not just a training. It was an experience that changed my view of the media and introduced me to a journalism that cares about solutions, listens to hope, and takes sides in positive change.”

From Choice to Achievement: The Inkfluencers Team Makes the Difference

In Algeria, the team we chose to be named Inkfluencers carried the participation flag in  the Newsroom Connect initiative, one of seven teams from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The team was formed after a rigorous selection process, based on online applications submitted by journalism students from different Wilayas. In the end, six young women – recent journalism students and graduates with similar academic backgrounds – were selected, but what made them even more distinct was the common denominator:  Passion, curiosity, and a sincere desire to learn and experience something new.

The journey kicked off with an intensive two-day online training program, supervised by members of the Media Connect Network, and focused on the principles of constructive journalism. Then came the most important phase:  the Newsroom Connect Hackathon, hosted  in Algiers on 8-9 July, where the team attended a series of specialized workshops: the first on the production of the press report, moderated by journalist Yassine Mabrouki of the Algeria international channel AL24 and a finalist for the Tandem Media Awards In Brussels, the second was about podcasts, led by Lydia Nemouchi, who is also a  finalist for the Tandem Media Awards, and the third workshop was on digital citizenship and was moderated by Sara Hamadoush. 

The skills acquired by participants in the Newsroom Connect were not confined in the workshops, but have been turned into live material, stories that talk about the presence of the EU in Algeria with a new tone. 

In just two days, the Inkfluencers team produced seven integrated media content products, covering several topics and ranging between visual arts inspired by domestic waste in the framework of EUNIC initiatives, and youth dynamics carried by the Jil Siyaha project, where Noura Omari wrote a snapshot that captures the essence of the trust given to the new generation. Abeer Aya Bou Rahla shared a written report titled From Daily Waste to Artistic Creativity, which sheds light on an environmental project that links sustainability with creativity. Maria Hind Haddad crafted an in-depth report highlighting European cultural initiatives, while Shahinaz Marzouk chose the podcast to share a vibrant audio experience through the Newsroom Podcast, allowing the audience to live the story with their ears and not just their eyes.

On the other hand, Heba Buthaina Mahfouz came up with a story as part of the ‘La Ville entre les lignes’ initiative, where the words identified with the details of the city to reshape its relationship with culture and daily life. Nour Al Yakeen Larachi reported on the Newsroom Connect initiative, offering an inside reading of a media lab that makes tomorrow’s journalists. One of the highlights documented by the team was the European Music Festival in Algeria, covered by one of the participants in her report The European Festival in Algeria: In Times of Tension, A Stage for Unity. There, where the language of art speaks louder than tensions, the platform transformed into a space of unity and diversity.

What is striking is that these seven works, in their various forms, all carry one guiding thread: a commitment to the values of constructive journalism, and a keenness to present a comprehensive, framed, and balanced picture of the EU’s initiatives in Algeria. A rich production in a short time, reflecting not only the talent and editorial ability of the team, but also the thirst of these young women journalists to practice media that opens doors to hope and celebrates positive change.

Private Interview with the EU Ambassador: Recognition that Creates Motivation

The experience concluded with a symbolic and moving moment at the EU Residence in Algeria, where the Inkfluencers team had  a special meeting with the EU Ambassador to Algeria, Mr. Diego Milado. The meeting was formal in form but characterized by warmth and frank dialogue; we exchanged talks with him about the future of journalism in the region, and shared examples of our work, produced during two intense days of work and creativity. The Ambassador did not hide his admiration for the content produced, and praised the enthusiasm and professionalism shown by the participants, stressing the importance of supporting young people in the field of Media, especially in the countries of the South.

As for the participants, this meeting was not just a protocol event, but a milestone that left a deep impression on the souls. Heba Buthaina Mahfouz, one of the young journalists on the team, also expressed this by saying: “The most beautiful moment? To be honored by His Excellency the Ambassador of the European Union to Algeria. Proud of this experience that was more than just training… It was a real platform to rethink the role of journalism, at a time when we need stories that illuminate reality rather than just the opposite.”

Newsroom Connect was not just a temporary media initiative, but a space for growth, learning, and empowerment of young women who believe that the media can make a real difference. Over the course of two days, the team gained skills in coordination, leadership, organization, and multi-platform media production; the experience generated a network of friendships and professional relationships that would extend beyond the boundaries of the event. A new generation of constructive journalists in Algeria has been launched, a generation that believes that journalism is not only a reflection of reality, but a tool to illuminate and redefine it. What has been achieved through Newsroom Connect remains a testament to the fact that change is possible, and that the media, when it listens to hope and takes sides with solutions, becomes a driving force for a better future. It’s a start, and its most important message: that we all choose to be constructive.