News Room’s Chief Editor off to China for prestigious media programme

Editor-in-Chief of the News Room, Fareeza Haniff

Fareeza Haniff, the Editor-in-Chief of the News Room, is currently participating in the China Latin America and the Caribbean Press Center 2022 Programme, expected to bolster her understanding of China and boost her professional development.

Haniff was invited by the China Public Diplomacy Association (CPDA) for the prestigious programme, being held under the framework of the China International Press Communication Center (CIPCC).

The programme is expected to last until November.

Haniff was selected with one other Guyanese Journalist. They will join colleagues from the Caribbean and Latin America in activities geared at unravelling China’s development and its foreign policies.

They will also benefit from journalism training, internships at Chinese media houses and covering major domestic and diplomatic events in the country.

The journalists will also participate in various symposia and visit several Chinese cities. These activities are meant to augment the learning experience.

Haniff, who has been a member of the regional media fraternity for the last 16 years, said that she expects her stint in China to benefit her professional development substantially.

“This gives me the opportunity to explore and learn about China’s culture, politics and development and I believe it will only strengthen my knowledge in the various fields,” she posited.

She added, “I am most interested in learning about China’s politics, technology and of course, their massive infrastructural plans and healthcare system.”

Moreover, with China’s integral support for the local healthcare system, Haniff said she is keen on learning about the country’s healthcare system- particularly how it grappled with the COVID-19 pandemic over the past two year.

Interestingly, Haniff is also expected to learn mandarin. And with all the opportunities for learning, Haniff believes she will leave China with a fresh outlook on the country’s politics and people’s way of life.

This year, China and Guyana commemorated 50 years of bilateral relations. In 2018, the country initiated a China- Caribbean press programme as part of efforts to build better relations with the Caribbean region.