1. NEW & SOCIAL MEDIA IN ARMENIA – AZERBAIJAN CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION Onnik Krikorian Caucasus Regional Editor, Global Voices Online http://www.globalvoicesonline.org [email_address] [email_address]

2. What is Global Voices? Global Voices is a community of more than 300 bloggers and translators around the world who work together to bring you reports from blogs and citizen media everywhere, with emphasis on voices that are not ordinarily heard in international mainstream media. Global Voices is translated into more than 15 languages by volunteer translators, who have formed the Lingua project. Additionally, Global Voices has an Advocacy website and network to help people speak out online in places where their voices are censored. We also have an outreach project called Rising Voices to help marginalized communities use citizen media to be heard.

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5. Approx 25,000 dead

6. Approx 1 million refugees and IDPs

7. 14-16 percent of Azerbaijan controlled by Armenian forces

8. Border skirmishes and clashes still occur

9. Territorial integrity vs. Right to self-determination

10. Peace deal still elusive

11. Threat of new war

13. Azerbaijan Foreign radio stations taken off the air in January 2009 Arrest and imprisoned of two video blogging youth activists

14. Georgia August 2008 war with Russia Internet fastest and cheapest in region

16. Emergence of progressive youth movements in Azerbaijan as well as alternative voices in Armenia and Georgia

17. Impressive use of new/social media by alternative voices in Azerbaijan as Internet penetration rapidly increases

18. $4 million USAID in Armenia for alternative resources in the media over the next four years

20. Mistaken notion that Armenians and Azeris are ethnically incompatible put into widespread circulation

21. Communicating with the 'enemy' discouraged

22. Political forces in Armenia and Azerbaijan exploit Nagorno Karabakh conflict for short-term domestic political gain

23. Media generally perpetuates negative stereotypes of the 'enemy'

24. Media practices self-censorship

25. Stereotyping the 'enemy' [A] negative context [is set] in the public consciousness, which hinders dialogue and mutual understanding […] Without more accurate and unbiased information […] free of negative rhetoric and stereotypes, Armenians and Azerbaijanis will continue to see themselves as enemies without any common ground. Report on media in Armenia and Azerbaijan , Caucasus Resource Research Center

26. Perpuating hatred [...] people are often inclined to consider their existing attitudes and beliefs to be true and filter the news through this lens . Thus, they accept messages in order to maintain their original perceptions. […] bias in the local media [...] serves as a means to fuel and perpetuate hatred . This is a role the media has and continues to play with regards to the conflict over Nagorno Karabakh. Report on media in Armenia and Azerbaijan , Caucasus Resource Research Center

27. Another Perspective Nowhere in the world can you find two groups of people closer to each other. That is why we often have these stupid disputes between Armenians and Azeris. "This house is Armenian" or "this house is Azeri." Or "this music is Armenian or Azeri." This is exactly because the two have so much in common. [...] I normally say, and people don't like this, that Armenians are just Christian Azeris and Azeris are just Muslim Armenians . That is how much they are alike. Azerbaijani journalist , Re-arming the Caucasus, Al Jazeera English

28. Digital media and conflict Throughout history, war has affected media, with conflict often creating an information void. In the 21st century, media has begun to affect war more than ever before. Digital media technologies [...] have increased communication and information dissemination in conflict settings [...]. These new tools can be used to foment violence or to foster peace , and it is possible to build communication systems that encourage dialogue and nonviolent political solutions. Ivan Sigal, Global Voices Online Executive Director, Digital media in conflict-prone societies, Center for International Media Assistance (CIMA)

30. Global Voices Online coverage

31. Arrest, detention and eventual imprisonment of Azeri video blogging youth activists, Adnan Hajizade and Emin Milli

32. Discovery of existing, but unknown, Armenian-Azeri online/offline relationships and networks. Natural growth in communication

33. Potential use of online tools for fact-checking by journalists in Armenia and Azerbaijan

35. Skype for secure communication

36. Skype for interviews

37. Online discussion of common problems

38. Twitter Contact

40. Civil Society needs contacts for its conflict resolution, simulation, transformation programs

41. Increased communication and networking

42. Cooperation in Georgia and other third countries, such as a project on Armenian and Azerbaijani co-existence in Georgia

43. http://www.oneworld.am/diversity/

46. http://peace.facebook.com

47. Words of caution New media tools will certainly help in getting people better acquainted with each other, but at the same time can also be used to reaffirm existing biases. Just search on the Internet for Armenian and Azerbaijani web sites and you can find a lot of trash and very harmful discourse from nationalist websites. I’m mildly optimistic, but at the same time think we should be very cautious about what we find on the Internet as well. Bart Woord , International Federation of Liberal Youth (IFLRY) Secretary General

48. Holistic approach I think you can’t do it just with social media tools, but as we’ve seen over the past 15 years, you definitely can’t do it by meeting in Tbilisi for a weekend every summer. It becomes an “entertainment” and I’ve had experience with those conferences in Georgia where it’s just one big coffee break and a waste of money. However, I think that both approaches combined could propel things along . Micael Bogar , Projects Manager at the American University's Center for Social Media

49. What next? I would very much like to see more debate among bloggers in Armenia and Azerbaijan . We really need some kind of initiative for this because I would really like to see borders opened and conflict resolved. My mother says that when she went to school she had Armenians among her friends. I would very much like myself or my children when they grow up to be able to say the same kind of thing to their children. Arzu Geybullayeva, Regional Analyst and Flying Carpets and Broken Pipelines blogger

50. Recent developments

51. http://threatened.globalvoicesonline.org