Representatives of Security Institutions Perfecting Public Speaking and Social Media Skills for Better Public Outreach at a Trainings in Sarajevo

On 11-14 November, UNDP SEESAC organised two specialised trainings, designed to enhance the effectiveness of the institutional public outreach on SALW control, and deepen communication flows between relevant institutions and the public through social media. Trainings were developed for and attended by representatives of Ministries of Interior, Ministry of Security, and police services from throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina and are a part of the overall effort to strengthen institutional capacities for awareness raising.

Designed in response to specific needs identified at meetings of the Regional Awareness-raising Task Force, the trainings were tailored to fit the working structures, existing and needed skill-sets of the institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, thus ensuring the utmost relevance for the beneficiaries. The first two days focused on bolstering of public speaking skills through a combination of lectures and interactive sessions, including simulations and on-camera practice sessions. The training helped participants refine their skills in delivering statements, media interviews, and managing press conferences, while using realistic crisis scenarios. Participants received tailored feedback to improve their individual delivery and build confidence when speaking.

During the second training, participants discussed the role of social media in institutional communication and how it can be used more effectively and diversely. They explored ways to craft more impactful messages for digital platforms, identify narrower target audiences, and determine a tone that would appeal to the target audience on those platforms. The knowledge gained was then applied as participants created several potential social media campaigns, developing messages and mini-stories, and selecting images and tactics most appropriate for each platform. In this process, participants also learned about several software tools to streamline social media content creation.

These trainings built upon the skills developed during the previous two trainings held in Bosnia and Herzegovina, on Bjelasnica in October 2025, which focused on 1) planning, design and implementation of awareness raising campaigns, and 2) Crisis Communication in situations involving firearms.

All of these efforts are a part of SEESAC’s wider work done under the project Support for Enhancing the Fight Against the Illegal Possession, Misuse, and Trafficking of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) in the Western Balkans, funded by the European Union through the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA II) (2021/425-067).