The Guiri World

Jerusalem- its like an onion.. apart from having numerous layers, it makes you cry

2010-06-16T15:26:00.003+02:00

Israel- the most complicated but intriguing place I have visited

2010-06-16T13:51:00.003+02:00

Let's talk about EU- The EUobserver.com brand new chat show brought to you from the TV studios of the European Parliament in Brussels

2010-04-21T16:26:00.002+02:00

Let's talk about EU- The EUobserver.com brand new chat show brought to you from the TV studios of the European Parliament in Brussels

2010-04-21T16:24:00.000+02:00

Local Spanish TV interview me about the Council of Europe Awards

2010-02-02T17:47:00.003+01:00

18 Billion Dollars for a fake-pandemic?

2010-02-02T17:46:00.000+01:00

In his 13 years working in the audio-visual department of the Council of Europe, Alun Drake said there have only been two really exciting cases. One was back in 2006 when it became known that the CIA were operating more than 1, 000 secret flights within the EU and the other was yesterday (27 January) when almost 1000 medias world wide reported on the Council of Europes hearing on the H1N1 flu.

The meeting involved representatives from the World Health Organisation(WHO), the UN health agencies, European vaccine manufacturers and saw them go face to face with medical experts. European parliamentarians were present to discuss the ethics of the WHO in the last year. Although the World Health Organisation is normally a world leader on health matters, yesterday (27 January) , it was put in the spotlight, and not for the right reasons. WHO was harshly criticised for the their handling of the H1N1 flu, for exaggerating the dangers of the flu just to please pharmaceutical companies who’s only interest was to make profit on the vaccine.

However, the WHO rejected all the accusations made by the Council of Europe. Speaking yesterday on behalf of the United Nations health agency, Dr Keiki Fukuda said that, “the labelling of the pandemic as fake is to ignore recent history and science, and to trivialise the deaths of over 14,000 people and the many serious additional illnesses experienced by others. So let me state clearly for the record: the influenza pandemic policies and reponses recommended and taken by the WHO were not improperly influenced by the pharmaceutical industry”.

And indeed, the WHO is a trusted agency. If the accusations are true, this is a highly blushing matter for them. German health expert, Wolfgang Wodarg ensures that it is and swears to ‘defend public health interests’ from now on. “What we have experienced now is that millions of people have been vaccinated unnessarily. This is damage done to people in order to earn money. And we cannot tolerate such an action by such an important agency as the WHO”.

No less than 18 billion dollars have been spent on the pandemic this year so the serious matter will not just be shoved to the bottom of the pile of files and will continue to be investigated within Europe’s biggest human rights defence body, the Council of Europe.

Méabh Mc Mahon
Strasbourg PACE January 2010

A trip to Strasbourg

2010-01-26T12:47:00.005+01:00

Sticking out amidst the dark cloud of Strasbourgian rain and fog is a huge building. Decorated with a handful of European flags, it is clear to a passer-by that it is an official European institution. Known as the ‘Palais de l’Europe’, it is indeed a huge European intergovermental organisation and in fact is the seat of the Council of Europe. Although on a daily basis, it is full of civil servants, school tours and sporadic diplomatic visitors, this week it is filled to the brim with delegations from all over Europe as it kick’s off it’s first of four annual parliamentary assembly meetings.

What exactly is the Council of Europe?

Often confused with the European Council of the European Union, the Council of Europe is in fact the oldest international organisation that works above all towards promoting European integration. Based in Strasbourg, it was founded back in 1949 and now represents 47 members with roughly 800 citizens. It consists of a Committee of Ministers that comprises of foreign ministers from each member state, a Parliamentary Assembly that makes up of MPs from each member states’ Parliament, the European Court of Human Rights and a Secretary General. According to current Secretary General, the Norwegian Thorbjorn Jagland, if it didnt exist, “there would be a ‘huge divide in Europe today”.
One of the Council’s main activities is that of its Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe or PACE for short. The first Parliamentary Assembly of 2010 commenced yesterday (25 January) here in Strasbourg. The meeting will go on until Friday and put a number of issues on the table. Although topics like swine flu, discrimination, the Middle East and human trafficking will be brought up during the week, the first topic on the table yesterday morning was the election of a brand new President.

“I want to bring political understanding to a new level, to act as a bridge for the peoples of Europe, whether they are in the frozen Arctic or on the temperate beaches of Antalya”, were the words of of incoming President Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu. Bidding adios to the outgoing Catalan, Lluís Maria de Puig, the Turk stressed his enthusiasm towards the new challenge of facing increasing intolerance and discrimination in society. “We must break down the walls in our minds. Unless we do that, there is no real freedom”.

The politician and economist, who has been a Member of Parliament for Antalya since 2002 got a warm reception from the audience. The latter made up of MPs from the 47 seven member states. But there were a few perplexed faces in the audiences. They belonged to a few young journalists from Italy, Ireland, Russia and Bulgaria, the winners of the Council of Europe journalism award.

Europe is more than you think Award

Last year, a pan-European media organisation known as the European Youth Press got together with the the Council of Europe to create a youth journalism prize. According to Sebastian Olényi, the organiser of the prize and representative of the Online platform youthmedia.eu of the European Youth Press where the event was published and the entries were collected, “the idea was to reach out to journalists beyond the borders of the European Union and to give them the tools to showcase their hard work”. “Its very exciting now to have our four winners here in Strasbourg for the real parliamentary assembly”. His comments were echoed by Francisco Empis, who organised the competition on behalf of the Council of Europe’s Communication Directerate. “It’s very interesting for us to see the impact we have on young journalists, and how aware they are of the work we do. Their experience here will hopefully inspire them to carry on their work as journalists and cover some of the issues they will be exposed during their visit”.

The thing is, the overall prize of the youth media competition was a trip to Strasbourg to cover this first parliamentary assembly of 2010. This explains the confused faces in the audience yesterday morning. However, today is day two at the Council of Europe and those faces have adapted over night to this ginormous intergovernmental organisation and have become much more aware of what is going on. Ready to report, the group have already started to work and will be updating you on the ins and outs of this weeks Assembly right here on this blog.

Bye bye Nice, welcome Lisbon

2009-12-01T10:30:00.003+01:00

Yesterday, I started a new job at the Spanish Brussels based newspaper, eurotribune.eu

Everyday I will be writing articles on whats going on in and around the European Parliament. With only three weeks till the Christmas break, there is lots to report on at the moment, especially today as the Lisbon Treaty enters into force.

To read my article from yesterday, go to this link....http://www.eurotribune.eu/?p=971&l=0&idioma=2

Special summit on top EU appointments

2009-11-19T22:48:00.003+01:00

The EU`s Lisbon Treaty will kick into place on the first of December 2009. So next month, among other things, the new person working as the President of the European Council President will start as well as a new-style High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

So, because the Lisbon Treaty wasn´t official in place at the last Summit two weeks ago, an informal working dinner took place tonight with all the European Leaders. I got a glimpse of Brian Cowen and Zapatero on their way in but didn't stay longer to see Merkel, Sarkozy and co.

The event was expected to go on all night but it's not even eleven now and all the European leaders have gone back to their hotels while journalists are still working away!

Maybe we should just go home already though as the new appointments have been announced and there are already 1,568 news items on google! So it wasnt that 'informal', was it?!

Carnival in Köln

2009-11-16T15:36:00.002+01:00

The other day, I was passing through Köln Hauptbahnhof at about 10.30am in the morning. I only had about 20 minutes before my next train left but instead of having a coffee, I took some shots of the merry 'Fasching' goers...The sky was black and I was tired but the whole place was rockin´so I was in a good mood within minutes!

A rainy Sunday in Camden Market

2009-10-13T17:17:00.001+02:00

Europe's Multi-cultural couples!

2009-10-13T17:12:00.001+02:00

Adios Valencia, Bonjour Brussels

2009-10-12T16:30:00.001+02:00

More experienced and a little bit wiser, I have just said Adios to Valencia and have relocated to Brussels. After over three years of becoming almost a Spaniard, I've been lured to the European capital for professionals motives. New life plan is to get involved in tonnes of new projects and get going as a freelance journalist. Thankfully, I have some nixers up my sleeve and will doing various things from producing a professional blog about health for young people in Europe, web reporting for a famous American web tv and hosting media production workshops for young people. Although I don't even have a flat yet in Brussels, I have my mini DV and my laptop and am ready and available for lots of challenges. Bring it on...............

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Me as a Europocketer

2009-10-12T15:33:00.000+02:00

For almost two years, I spent my Mondays to Fridays preparing, researching and presenting a news podcast about Europe for young people... With not an ounce of experience and a boss who didn't even understand English, I was expected to create an entertaining, informative news show.... in the end, I did it and with time I even did it well, but my gosh... does it make me laugh right now when I look back at some of my first podcasts..... my cheeks are rosy now but I'll get over it so here you go, heres one of them.......

With this article, i inaugurated the Youth & New European Media Festival in Valencia this year

2009-10-12T15:20:00.000+02:00

Once upon a time, I sat in the front seat of a Black Volkswagon and was driven to a town in the outskirts of Valencia. I’d been told that a local production company was setting up some online TV station about Europe.

It was a stifling day back in August 2006. Just when the car pulled up outside the supposed production company, I got nervous. The front door didn’t have a sign and the building resembled a residential house. Confused as to why this small company in this small town would want to do such a European, innovative thing, I was sure that I’d been tricked into taking part in an audition for topless weather presenting.

But alas… The town was la Pobla de Vallbona and the tv was Europocket TV. Almost three years later, the Pobla has become a second home and Europocket a brand-name for dynamic, multi-lingual reporting. Visiting the Central London Mosque, cycling through the international music conservatorium of Maastricht, rapping with Asher D, talking politics with Paolo Coehlo, drinking tea with a Spanish Muslim film director and attending a Polish Christening are just a few of the tasks I have been faced as a ‘Europocketer’.

The phenomenon of the Europocketer relates to a young reporter who with big guts and small resources can create a good news report. The idea is that he or she can research the report, film it and then even edit it. Europocket has become a mini school of journalism where even a shy science graduate can stop by and find himself behind a camera on his second day. Although Europocket is the first ever Web tv that talks about Europe, there are plenty more movers n shakers out there who dedicate their 9 to 5’s to shouting out about Europe, writing blogs, creating radio programmes or capturing social realities. Since it was born, Europocket has sussed out the scene and made friends or more officially ‘partners’ with all these groups of people and organisations. Without this friendship or lets be official and say ‘partnership’, Europocket wouldn’t be still around today and YNEM 2009 wouldn’t be drawing it’s curtain right now!

So with adrenaline and excitement, let me say how priveleged Europocket TV is to host such an array of hard-working, inspiring young journalists and media makers in this Valencian village and how grateful and thankful we are to the Town Mayor and all the local Valencians to open their arms to us.

http://www.neweuropeanmedia.eu/en/

Snooping around Valencia

2009-10-12T14:35:00.000+02:00

A while ago, my boss, who was feeling the heat of the financial crisis decided to do an experiment.. He threw me out onto the streets of Valencia with a camera man and told me to produce an attractive, punchy piece about his native city. Although the idea was to attract advertisers, it didn't really flourish as my boss didn`t know how to go about doing it. I even gave it it's name and one of the interns created a groovy graphic.... allow me to introduce you to SNOOP CITY TV..

Youth & New European Media Days 2007

2009-03-26T14:13:00.002+01:00

Reporting on Youth Events

2009-03-09T15:02:00.002+01:00

2009-01-28T12:03:00.000+01:00

This picture was taken in Brussels, I am interviewing Shirin Wheeler from the BBC about her weekly EU politics programme, 'the record, Europe'..

Shortly after her programme and production team were awarded with the European parliament p rize for journalism 2008.

The latter is a prize awarded tothe best print, radio, tv and internet journalists from all over Europe. If you are reading this and you are a jounalist, why not apply this year. More details on the website below.

http://www.eppj.eu/

2009-01-28T11:31:00.000+01:00

Europocket TV team

Since 2006, I have been working for a European web tv called Europocket TV.....

The team makes up young people from Spain, France, Holland, Portugal, Belgium, Poland and its constantly changing! The snap there is a family photo we took in summer!

The Irish Polish Connection

2009-01-27T15:55:00.000+01:00

its January 2009, this time last year, I spent a few days in my capital city Dublin getting to know the Polish culture on the streets of Dublin... If we had filmed the report this month, maybe the images might have looked different but I dare you to forget the recession for a minute and enjoy this video we made last year where the Poles seem to be settling in quite well to the fair city.

Tajin and tea- an afternoon in Valencia

2009-01-27T15:50:00.000+01:00

The Charter for European Muslims was signed at the start of 2008 in the European Parliament...to outline the rights and responsibilities of the 13 million Muslims living in European society.... Last year in honor of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue, I spent the afternoon with two Muslims living in the Valencian Community in Spain. We finished off eating delicious tajin

a trip on the metro

2009-01-26T14:50:00.002+01:00

THe above is one of the reports I created for the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue........

Back in January 2008, before embarking on my intercultural tour, I took to the streets of Brussels, Copenhagen and Valencia to quiz people on the concept of intercultural dialogue….The microphone was on, the camera was recording but the responses were mundane……there were mumbles and grumbles but nobody could put there finger on the actual definition of intercultural dialogue.

Today Europe is on the move; from mini-breaks to mobility programmes, both old and young are wearing a new European scent, a scent that could be marketed as ‘euphoria- the global village’. Long gone our the days where one was just informed about news and scandal in their local areas, now the Irish pork scandal or Carla Bruni’s latest album is on the tip of the tongues of people from all over. Young people are online 24/7, exchanging photos, information, friends and tips to their companions from all over the bloc. Europe has changed so much that even nations are packing their bags and moving to other countries to live….

A nice rapper from London

2009-01-26T14:12:00.000+01:00

'I'm 26 but don't get out much coz I have a lady and three kids', 'I'm shooting a movie next week with Fifty cent', a few of the things that Asher D casually said to me when I interviewed him in London before Christmas. For more, watch the video!

European Youth Media Days - a must for a young reporter in Europe!

2009-01-26T14:01:00.000+01:00

If you take the metro from Valencia's main train station, in ten minutes you arrive at the airport... I do that a lot.

One of my recent trips took me to Brussels; the EU paid a lot of money to bring 270 young journalists to the Parliament to teach them about the ins and outs of the EU hub. Here's a glimpse....

Dublin by night

2009-01-26T09:01:00.000+01:00

Axel Beer is not only the Austrian boyfriend of one of my closest friends, but also a journalism student. The dynamic guy is constantly looking out for new things, people and situations. He spent Christmas in his girlfiend's home town just outside Dublin but he also came for a pint with me and even to my home town Navan! His little report is quirky if you'd like to take a look. Its in Austrian German though so here's a test to your high school German! Viel Spass

Above is English version just in case you didnt catch Axel's Austrian

Your Voice, Your Video

2009-01-25T19:50:00.000+01:00

The guy there is Brendan O Connor. He is an Irish journalist who makes the front page of the Irish Independent every Sunday, one of Ireland's broadsheets. A former comedian, he is known for his skepticism, sarcasm and wit......he said something recently that caught my attention.

'The last guy who thought he was perfect was nailed to a cross', he said on live Irish television and was referring to the freshly ordained President of the United States, Barack Obama.

I`m sure you saw any images, speeches, glitz and glamour from last week's gala.... Once thing is sure, we all have an opinion about Obama.

And if you want to articulate it, you can by producing a three minute video for the 'Democracy video challenge' competition.

www.videochallenge.america.gov./

The competition is open to people from all over the world and is an iniative of the American government. You must upload a three minute on you tube by the 31st of this month..

the question to answer in the video is 'what is democracy?'

Seems like a bit of a global marketing research stunt being pulled here but winners get a trip to both Washington and Hollywood so I´ve already started my video!

A camper van in Valencia

2009-01-25T19:39:00.000+01:00

Amidst the flurry of speeding cars darting around Valencia this weekend, an exaggerated white camper van could be seen. With a German number plate, passers by would think it held a retired couple from Bavaria, but the big white mini bus is actually the home of two engineering students from Graz......With hardly a word of Spanish between them, the Erasmus students arrived in Valencia over a week ago and although they even drafted an Excel list with 145 affordable flats, they still haven't been able to find a place to live. They ain't fussy, in fact they just really want a place to shower, but their experience shows how difficult it is for exchange students to initially find their feet. .....The university international office hardly opens, Spanish students are doing exams and not a soul could even grant the guys with a password to access the campus wifi. On top of that, pre-paid mobile phone cards cost an arm and a leg so the boys didn't even want to use their phone to call their future flats! I'm not sure whether they are more afraid of the price of the call or the Spanish voice at the end of the phone. However, they have their fridge, their cooker, their nice bed and their lovely bus and the joy of choosing a new Valencian address each night. So although it sounds a bit daunting at first, life in a camper van in Valencia seems to be working out just fine...........and you know why? Coz the guys are politely using the university facitlites to have their daily shower and shave!!!

ESNA`s Valencian Correspondent

2009-01-25T16:30:00.000+01:00

Recently I agreed to join ESNA, Europe's First News Agency for Higher Education

www.esna.tv

So, during next three months, I should become a top-class expert on the Spanish educational system. From the recent manifestations against Bologna to the local youth associations, all the information that I gather and the articles that I write will be found on the following website;

www.esna.tv

Whilst the page is being prepared for the public, I will start publishing here on my blog. If you happen to be a student, a member of a youth organization or even a resident of a university campus residence in Spain, get it touch and let me know what's going on in your neck of the woods. And in time ESNA will then publish a weekly newsletter updating you on campus activities all over Europe.