Report on the project: Building Arguments towards positive narratives

Report on the project: Building Arguments towards positive narratives.

February 2019

The report summarizes some important key points & tools that I used for my project implementation, while working on the field of diversity management.

 

KEY POINTS:

How can we build arguments towards positive narratives? We need to focus on the social media and their role and afterwards on our role as project coordinators and as part of an organisation. 

 

An example that can be used: the Association Carta di Roma (2008), Torino, Italy

1. They signed the Code of Conduct (respect, dignity of immigrants & specially for minors).
2. They made an Open Call to journalists claiming that they need to use the appropriate terminology 
3. They presented the importance of the NGOs, on how they talk and express on the topic of migration.
4. They make reports on how the journalists talk   

An example that can be used: “For illegal immigrants, the fun is over” Matteo Salvini (2018)

The counter narrative that can be used: They used a contradictory image (homeless people with no food, -is this fun?)               

Another example of counter narrative: The Beast of Salvini, a fan page answering with positive narratives and examples. In Italy, there is the profession of “Public Editors”, who monitor the Media. We need them with our side when we try to build a positive narrative.  

General Vision: Form Communication Strategies! 

They want to: 

1. Involve students of journalism 
2. Create a Laboratory with refugees/ immigrants and the civil society 
3. Open call for schools 

For example: They propose to use the word “refugee” instead of “migrant”, because the media used the word "migrant" a lot and now its sense it’s negative. 

When forming a communication strategy we need to FOCUS ON: 

* Target * Tools * Timing *Key messages 

For example: If you addresse to the media, you have to use the media language= simple, direct words, colors, to provide facts and statistics, to use “soundbites”! 

If we need a change to our mentalit these are two importnats tasks: 

1. Reexamination & Redefinition: Journalists = Allies!  

How can we succeed on this?

• Organize Open Days / Connections / Networking 
• Prepare Q&A 

TOOLS: 

* Start from what it has been told (the negative comment, racists, etc.) and build on it! 

* Reply with a positive comment, give them a tool to spread the positive narrative. 

For example: They were criticizing an organisation, based on a false rumor, they were receiving negative comments on media. They replied with a video and their actual work and people felt they belong to a group, they could reply without feeling alone, with a counter narrative and a positive attitude towards this organisation. 

* Make a positive #hashtag & Create Interaction 

* Make them connect with the refugees. 

For example: What would you write on a life jacket? Your lover’s name? Your child’s name? 

* Make a thank you video (You want to spread the news, make it VIRAL) 

* Give them a face, so they can see themselves. Focus on the normality of refugees and immigrants & on the details. 

For example: Show to the world pictures of their daily life, they are parents, they play music etc. or make a video describing their vision and the change they want to make to the world, not focusing on their trauma!! 

* Praise their strength! We do not want the world to pity them. 

* Show the positive actions of the society, what they do for the refugees and help the citizens feel that they belong to a group when they care. 

* There is “another” Greece. This is the key point that we need to focus on & create Amplification! 

RISK: Do not amplify Haters!