Hundreds join RT Academy events in West African nation (PHOTOS)

The four-day program in Mali featured journalism masterclasses, practical sessions, and discussions with local bloggers

More than 300 people attended RT Academy’s first series of educational events in Mali, held from November 5 to 8, bringing together journalists, bloggers, students, and media professionals for training in reporting, interviewing, and digital media.

The program took place across several venues in the capital, Bamako, including the Salon des Medias du Mali (SAM Mali), one of the country’s major media forums, where RT en français served as the main sponsor. As part of the forum’s program on November 6, RT journalists and producers shared their experience in field reporting, interviewing heads of state, and organizing international news coverage.

RT en français correspondent Daria Vaganova led a session on reporting and high-profile interviews, while Liliia Zaripova, head of protocol for RT’s editor-in-chief, and senior producer Anton Shmakov discussed international protocol and the challenges of organizing shoots in Africa.

The training continued on November 7 with a free, one-day intensive session at the Russian House cultural center in Bamako. Participants learned how journalists can expand their reach on social media and how RT coordinates its network of African correspondents from Moscow. The program also featured a screening of the RT documentary ‘Frontline Mali’, followed by the presentation of RT Academy certificates.

Later that day, Vaganova met with local bloggers for an open discussion titled ‘Journalist and blogger: News or buzz’, exploring the relationship between journalism and online content.

READ MORE: ‘Exactly what Africa needs’: Why the continent is choosing Russia

The Mali events marked another step in RT Academy’s expansion across Africa, following previous in-person training programs in Senegal, Ethiopia, and Tanzania.

The academy, a free international educational initiative, has reached more than 10,000 participants from over 50 countries. It offers online courses, webinars, and practical training in three languages, including an annual course specifically designed for African journalists.

The event comes after a cooperation agreement signed between RT and Malian broadcaster Tafouk TV in July 2026, aimed at strengthening media ties between Russia and Mali. It also follows the Russia-Africa Media Forum, held in Moscow from October 26 to 29 and organized by RT, Sputnik, and TASS. The gathering brought together more than 200 participants from 46 African countries.

READ MORE: Beyond Western narratives: What the Russia-Africa Media Forum delivered

RT signed cooperation agreements with 12 African media organizations and ministries, including broadcasters from Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe, covering areas such as content exchange and joint news coverage.