A three-day training workshop for media practitioners on climate change was concluded last Wednesday at the Tendaba Camp in the Lower River Region (LRR).

The training, organised by Global Unification (GU) The Gambia in collaboration with the Gambia Press Union (GPU)?was meant to strengthen the capacity of media practitioners on climate change communication in The Gambia.

In his remarks, the national coordinator of GU, Ebrima S. Dem reminded journalists of their role in informing and educating the masses. Climate change, he said, is a global issue affecting Africans more due to poor communication of its implications. He further tasked journalists to enlighten the public on climate change and its effects since it affects all human-beings.

He said GU is an organisation with special focus on climate change and the environment. "Therefore partnering with the media will help in reading the information of climate change and its negative impact to the grassroot level. Habitual change should be done by planting more trees and the maintaining the forest parks," he remarked. He further thanked the journalists and the international participants for responding to their invitation, adding that it shows how important climate change is to the lives of the people.

On his part, Lamin Nyangadou of Action-Aid The Gambia also dilated on the important role journalists play in the execution of their duties in society. "The understanding of the key issues of climate change to the community is confronted by poor communication," he said.

Speaking on behalf of the GPU, Baboucarr Ceesay, 1st vice president of the Union, expressed delight at the initiative. He told the gathering that the GPU is very much concerned with the pressing issues of climate change in the world. He then advised participants to transform the information gained into knowledge. The programme was also characterisedpresentations on climate change and its impacts on the masses.