The media's impact on the Island's race relations will be discussed today and tomorrow.

The June session of the Bermuda Race Relations Initiative (BRRI) starts today at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess and will see local and foreign media representatives in discussing how the media can positively and negatively lead discussions on race on Friday.

A documentary "Hip-Hop - Beyond Beats and Rhymes" will be shown during the Saturday session and Sean Tate, who works for the Texas Council on Family Violence, will lead a discussion on the messages hip-hop delivers. The organisers hope that young Bermudians will attend this session, along with others interested in the topic.

The BRRI discussions started in March and organiser Rolfe Commissiong, a consultant to the Premier, said they will continue till November. They are being held in conjunction with CURE, Commission for Unity and Racial Equality and this is the fourth meeting to take place.

The forums, which are facilitated by Americans Dr. Bernestine Singley and Professor Robert Jensen, are a key component in an overall Government strategy. The hope is that honest discussions on race relations will lead the way to meaningful change.

A spokesman said: There is tangible evidence that the previous dialogues were successful in moving toward that goal."