How do we make Amsterdam’s bike tunnels less scary?
It involves all the five senses, apparently
The idea is to borrow know-how and transmit good practices from more experienced societies in the West to newer democracies in the East
Euro Advance Association (Bulgaria) is heading a new project called Read Twice (R2) that aims to tackle the issue of media illiteracy and the spread of disinformation among the youth. In essence, the project will select media-savvy young people from Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia, who will first go through capacity-building trainings in Portugal and Germany and then using their upgraded skills and influence will teach other youngsters practical ways to recognize and counter disinformation.
The initiative, which was launched last week, is set to last for 18 months – from 1 October 2022 to 31 March 2024 under the umbrella of the European Commission’s Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (CERV).
To achieve these goals, Euro Advance Association is partnering with Udruga Echo (Croatia) and Se Poate (Romania) as the NGOs from Eastern Europe seeking to boost media literacy in their national contexts. The other partners of Read Twice (R2) are Lusofona University (Portugal) and Alliance 4 Europe (Germany), which will take up the role of the mentors and impart good and robust practices in terms of fostering more media-literate citizenship in the EU.
The project also previews several local events for stakeholders, as well as a webinar and a final conference to raise the awareness of new forms of disinformation spread and discuss working ways to prevent it.
According to the 2021 Media Literacy Index compiled by the Open Society Foundation, Croatia, Romania and Bulgaria are somewhere in the bottom in that regard – a fact that greatly hinders the development prospects of their citizens and societies in a rapidly digitalizing world rife with multiple information sources and a mix of useful information, not-so-useful data and downright harmful propaganda.
The silver lining lies in the new generations, which is why the three organisations from the Eastern European countries will select thirty media-proficient young people, who will have the goal and enthusiasm to expand their skillset in that sphere.
The selected participants will act both as mentees and mentors as the year 2023 progresses. Sometime in the spring, they will undergo two specialized trainings organized by Lusofona University and Alliance 4 Europe (A4E). Returning to their countries of origin, the media practitioners will have the task of sharing what they have learned to wider audiences of young people. The latter activities will be done through stakeholders’ seminars and media literacy workshops, set to take place in the autumn of 2023.
The timing of the start of this initiative is well placed as the EU is celebrating its Year of the Youth. In addition, the European Commission has proposed setting up a European Board for Media Services composed of representatives from national media authorities of all Member States. The latter is meant to serve as a reliable body to ensure pluralistic media sources on our continent that are free from harmful interference.
Read Twice (R2) has received funding under Grant Agreement n. 101081326, from the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (CERV) programme.
Further information:
Aseniya Dimitrova, Project Manager: office@euroadvance.eu
Tzvetozar Iolov, Editor: v.iolov@themayor.eu
It involves all the five senses, apparently
Germany’s new approach has convinced hundreds of thousands of people to start using public transport for the first time
Drivers will be legally required to push their scooters manually in pedestrian areas and parks
Greece and Bulgaria are set to build one of the first 5G cross-border corridors in Europe
The feline registry is expected to start operating in 2026
The team presented the final report about a year, which was supposed to put the Luxembourgish city on the cultural map of Europe
It involves all the five senses, apparently
What you pay for having your car resting in the city will now depend on several different factors
Germany’s new approach has convinced hundreds of thousands of people to start using public transport for the first time
What you pay for having your car resting in the city will now depend on several different factors
Fredensborg Municipality is inviting residents to take the bikes for a spin…lasting up to 3 months
After all, sleeping carriages are basically hotels on wheels
The practical art objects are competing for one of the 2023 New European Bauhaus Prizes
Cast your vote before 24 May and do your part in promoting the NEB values
The new itineraries are part of the DiscoverEU programme, which lets 18-year-olds travel by train between important European sites
An interview with the president of the European Federation of Journalists
A talk with the head of Mission Zero Academy on the benefits for municipalities if they go the zero waste way
A talk with Nicolae Urs, one of the key figures behind the city's new data platforms and online services strategy