Caroline's first day

As you saw from the video, my first session at the World Summit was about Kids News Network. To summarise in text, here is what they do:

- KNN are driven by two things: the desire to promote freedom of expression around the world and the Rights of the Child - to be informed.

- they provide a support structure to enable countries all over the world to set up their own news programme for young people. They help prepare the ground, train people, help make it sustainable, ensure good quality through qualitative research.

- It's about taking children and young people seriously, giving them a platform to give opinions about the news, shape the news and share the good news stories about young people.

- There's no "one size fits all" model for how they set up the programme. It can be commercial, funded or a combination of both. They have some funding from the Dutch government. It depends on the country, but it takes on average 2.5 years to set up.

Mostly they are working in difficult situations - in areas of great poverty, conflict etc. See the website for where they work.

- It doesn't always work. In Afghanistan or example, they started the programme full of hope, but the state broadcaster was taken over by religious fundamentalists. The women were fired. The editor in chief had to flee to India with her family. She is still there.

Another story stuck with me. In Burma, they have to broadcast underground, because of the Burmese regime.
The journalists are from Thailand and the children have to wear masks when they are on camera. But children's interests can be the same all over the world, no matter where they come from:

"I want to know everything about democracy, medicine and Manchester United". Burmese boy, aged 10.