"The Middle East is a region characterised by weak national economies, civil strife, democratic failure and war. What are appropriate practices in designing and implementing media and peacebuilding initiatives to strengthen democracy and reconstruct peace in this part of the world?"

In November 2002, IMPACS conducted a roundtable dialogue with key government officials, journalists, academics, and representatives of media organisations and NGOs to develop a compendium of clear and practical policy options to guide Canadian media interventions in this region.

The roundtable discussion focused on the alternatives that international organisations could explore to promote an accountable, responsible, and pluralistic media that will engage civil society in the peacebuilding process and in the construction of democracy.

This report is divided into three sections: setting the context, lessons learned, and policy guidelines. In each section, a review of the discussion and the main points made by the speakers are followed by a summary of findings and recommendations. Included are graphics generated during the discussion period, an inventory of international organisations with programming in the Middle East, and finally, a list of biographies of roundtable participants.

IMPACS, the Institute for Media, Policy and Civil Society, was a Canadian charitable organisation committed to the protection and expansion of democracy and to strengthening civil society.