Young people from different regions of the country participated in thematic training sessions centering on disinformation, media literacy and protection of state democracy. The workshops were organized by the Foreign Policy Association in partnership with the organization People in Need in the framework of a project funded by the European Union. The results of the activities were presented at a news conference hosted by IPN.
Natalia Stercul, executive director of the Foreign Policy Association (APE), said that the events were intended for young specialists employed in various government institutions, for students and pupils. "I am glad that the Republic of Moldova has such initiatives and there is indeed a need to protect the information space, which is very sensitive. Everything that is related to media literacy is one of the main components at the current stage," stated Natalia Stercul.
The project was also oriented towards young Russian speakers, ethnic minorities. The sessions were attended by representatives of cultural centers, schools and kindergartens, librarians and students. Natalia Stercul stressed that all the issuesaimed at strengthening the population play a primary role in the common goal of developing the country's European course.
It is important to overcome a difference in positions, which is currently becoming evident, but also the trends that are related to disinformation and are meant to destabilize society, said the APE executive director.
People in Need program manager Nadejda Pascaru-Botnaru said that the young people who took part in the project, with the financial support of the European Union, showed that they are capable of concrete and effective actions to meet the needs of society.
Nadejda Pascaru-Botnaru noted that civic engagement is not an abstract action, but it should be a norm, and this is achieved through small, concrete actions, through gestures of involvement and solidarity. Education is the pillar of any progressive and democratic society, and projects of this type contribute significantly to the development of a responsible and involved future of the young generation.
Watchdog expert Andrei Curăraru pointed to the openness of the young participants and also to the interest in understanding what disinformation means in order to find out tools they can use to get information correctly from different sources. This project was also like an exercise in critical thinking for young people.
Andrei Curăraru stressed the need to carry out follow-up activities, which would allow the development of a network of young people engaged in the fight against disinformation, in the promotion of true narratives, especially in the context of the European integration of the Republic of Moldova, as well as a greater involvement of the entire society. In the expert's opinion, the involvement of the entire society is the only approach that can help us to effectively fight disinformation, but not fines or bans.
Ion Tăbârță, executive director of the NATO Information and Documentation Center, noted that the project involved young people interested in obtaining correct information, in learning disinformation mechanisms and tools that can combat it. He expressed his conviction that such activities necessarily generate positive results.
Viorica Țîcu, strategic programs director at the European Institute of Political Studies of Moldova, noted that ambitious young people from the municipality of Chisinau, from localities situated near the Security Zone, as well as from other localities in Moldova participated in the project.
"We found that we can even call them ambassadors of critical thinking, young people who are extremely responsible both on the personal and social dimensions, in what they generate, in terms of what they read, in the online information space," said Viorica Țîcu.
She stressed that such initiatives are extremely valuable and must be continued as both education and the acquiring of media literacy skills are long-term processes.
Note: IPN Agency offers the right of reply to persons who consider that they were targeted in the news articles produced based on the statements of the organizers of this press conference, including by facilitating the organization of another press conference under similar conditions.
