AYV News, September 22, 2026
Three senior media figures from Sierra Leone are among 21 media professionals from Belt and Road countries that participated in the Seminar on “Chinese Culture for Media Professionals from Belt and Road Countries” concluded today in Beijing.
Sierra Leone is represented by Mr. Joseph Simon Kapuwa – Chairman of the Independent Media Commission (IMC), Mr. George Elliot Sam – Senior Correspondent at Star Television, and Mr. Aruna Turay – Director of Online and Print at the AYV Media Empire.
The 21-day seminar, which runs from September 3 to 23, 2026, is organized by the National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) of China and brings together participants from Cambodia, the African Union Commission, Bulgaria, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Iraq, Jordan, Panama, Sierra Leone and other Belt and Road nations.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Zhou Jihong, Director-General of the International Cooperation Department of NRTA, said the seminar serves as an important platform to exchange knowledge, enhance mutual understanding, and strengthen friendship, solidarity and cooperation between China and Belt and Road countries.
The programme combines academic sessions on China’s radio and television development and broadcasting management system, with rich cultural immersion activities including Chinese language learning, Hanfu experience, visits to cultural landmarks and exposure to China’s intangible cultural heritage.
For Sierra Leone, the participation of the IMC Chairman and two leading journalists underscores the country’s commitment to deepening media cooperation, learning from China’s media convergence experience, and promoting people-to-people exchanges under the Belt and Road Initiative.
