Ginger da Silva’s first career was in Canada as a radio journalist and producer for the CBC. She worked for 20 years for the English service of Radio Netherlands Worldwide and now works freelance in a variety of capacities, principally as a course leader and trainer for RNTC.
How did you end up in the Netherlands?
I was producing programs for Radio Canada International when a meeting was held in Montreal of international broadcasters. The Director of Radio Netherlands asked if there was anyone who wanted to come to Holland for a year to produce programs for RNW’s English service. My husband and I were eager to try living in Europe for awhile, so I applied, was accepted, took a year’s leave of absence and came with my family. But once we got here, it was so exciting we ended up staying.
How did you get into contact with RNTC?
When I first came to Holland, Tony Wilkinson, who is now Course Coordinator at RNTC, was working for the Africa service of RNW, so we’ve known each other a long time. The English department was always interested in the international journalists that came to RNTC, especially in their knowledge of the parts of the world where our shortwave programs were received. Occasionally Tony asked me to help out with a role play, a short workshop, or giving feedback at daily editorials. When I was Network Manager of the English department, training was one of my responsibilities, so there was always a natural link with RNTC.
Why do you like to work here? What do you do exactly at RNTC? Why is your work very important?
RNTC is a wonderful, open place to work. RNTC colleagues are very supportive and as enthusiastic about working with international journalists as I am. There is a lot of room for creativity and fun! As a course leader, I help design the course and share oversight of the whole process with my fellow course leader (who usually comes from a TV background). I do intake and midterm interviews with the participants, monitor their progress and am available if they need help or advice or have complaints. I write evaluations for their employers and discuss confidential evaluations with the participants themselves. I work with other trainers and also prepare and conduct workshops where appropriate on such things as the theme, audio recording, interview techniques, etc.
I think it’s very important to encourage and train young journalists, to give them an opportunity to step back from their daily routine and look differently at what they do, to think how to make it better and to give them space to try new approaches. International courses are also such an enormous expanding of horizons for everybody!
Ginger with RNTC alumni in Nairobi
What is your experience with international students? What are the funniest/most moving moments of working with them? Please share some good memories!
At RNTC, it never fails to move me to see how open people can be, what rich friendships are possible across all kinds of difference. A Nigerian becomes fast friends with a Nepali, an Indonesian learns how to dance from a Zambian. They discover they laugh at the same jokes. Suddenly the rest of the World becomes real, with real people facing the same kinds of problems, and they’re all just journalists struggling to find the best way to cover similar issues. A highlight is always the ‘kitchen party’ when everybody is encouraged to cook their favorite dish. It’s always delicious! We have a fabulous meal, then roll back the rug and celebrate by dancing!
Are you still in touch with ex-course participants?
Yes, with many. That’s the great advantage of Facebook!
From 5-9 December 2011 the first Inside International Justice course took place in collaboration with the T.M.C. Asser Institute in The Hague . Could you tell us what your impressions were? How would you evaluate the course?
It was the first time we gave this course and our first collaboration with the Asser Institute. For me, it was the first course with a mix of more European than African participants, and I was not at all sure how it would go. It turned out to be a very intense week and - to everyone’s delight - a great success! The first day was dramatic; we saw the former president of Ivory Coast, Laurent Gbagbo, appear at the International Criminal Court. The African participants challenged the Europeans on their assumptions. The Europeans were fascinated by the different perspectives of the African journalists, and by their personal experiences of conflict and (in)justice. We all learned a lot! I’m very pleased that the course will be repeated and expanded later this year.
Ginger with the participants of Inside International Justice course in front of the Peace Palace
