The explanation below explains the origin and main purpose of EMDC.  EMDC has taken on a broader and more more international nature over the years.

Why a Eurasia-centered meeting?

• We have similar needs that the rest of the world does not have
• We have access considerations that many don’t have
• We have a similar situation with majority beliefs
• We have similar linguistic challenges
• We can keep travel closer than a world-wide conference

The four main goals of the EMDC are as follows:

1. To provide a meeting place where those engaged in minority language work (whether in-country or displaced) can interact with communication and media specialists to develop media strategies, explore the use of ethno-arts, and assess and prioritize media products.
2. To network existing regional media organizations with minority language teams for present or future partnerships on actual, doable projects.
3. To help those with some material to be able to record, edit, mix, and finish their project in hands-on workshops (or at a minimum connect with those who will see them through to the end).
4. To provide a venue where minority language workers can express their media-related needs, learn from one another in areas of methodology and strategy, and explore ways in which they might share resources.

What takes place?

• In addition to plenary sessions, workshops, and training, language-specific, country-specific, or ethnic group-specific working groups will be meeting. Specific ethnic groups will discuss language programs and language planning.
• EMDC is a multi-agency consultation that meets alternately in Asia and Europe.  Minority language workers in the greater Eurasia region meet with media specialists (radio, TV, Internet, mobile, social media), IT Technicians, recording specialists, graphic artists, digital publishers, and specialists in Orality and Ethno-Arts.

Why the name EMDC?

Eurasia (broadly defined) was our primary focus. Since we meet in Asia every other year, we have a large Asian input.  We have also welcomed Europe-focused and Africa-focused workers as well who find their needs met at EMDC.  There is now an EMDC Español.

Media is one of the core elements, but that does not only mean typical media forms.  Stories, music, art, and new media are all forms of media in our opinion.

Distribution is important.  Since Scripture is our main distributed product, we try to find creative ways to distributed it, and that includes, Discovery Study Groups, Trauma Healing teaching, games, and other creative forms.

Consultation.  We do not see the EMDC as a conference.  It is a consultation of many mini-conferences.  We have Affinity Groups so that those with particular interests can find each other: video, audio, web sites, ethnoarts, orality, new media, mobile, research, animation, study groups, trauma healing, etc.  We all share the common goal of distributing Scripture and scriptural ideas in creative ways to minority people groups.