Project Overview:
PEF initiated a project titled as “Engaging Media Influencers for Peace” to engage Media Influencers as they are a critical target group to amplify peace narrative through effectively using media platforms (print, electronic and social media). The Media Influencers are engaged from across Pakistan including Punjab, KPK, Sindh, Baluchistan and Federal- Islamabad. The project will build the capacity of 100 Media Influencers (50 male and 50 female) from across Pakistan through specialized two-layers of capacity building workshops on peacemaking, inter and intra-faith reconciliations, religious freedom, human rights, diversity and pluralism and media skills. Once trained, the participants will be given opportunities to develop and implement a series of seed projects through effectively using the media platforms, digital media such as TV and radio channels, print media such as newspaper, religious journals and magazines including social media platforms such as Facebook, twitter, YouTube and zoom to amplify messages on peace, tolerance and interfaith harmony in different set of forms and formats.
OBJECTIVES:
- To capacitate Media Influencers on peacemaking, critical thinking and media skills that enable them to contribute for an inclusive society.
- Prepare the influencers to design media seed projects on peacemaking, interreligious understanding, co-existence and defend the rights of women and other faiths by creating a network of Peace Catalyst on media platforms.
Summary Two Four-day training Workshop:
Peace and Education Foundation conducted two (02) Four-day capacity building training workshops for Media Influencers in Karachi from December 03-06, 2022 and December 08-11, 2022 respectively. A total of 55 Participants (29 male and 26 female) from various Muslim denominations, institutions and different media outlets (Print, electronic and social media) representing Sindh and Balochistan were engaged through two-bathes of the training. The workshops covered a broad set of physical and intellectual exercises, all aimed to better their understanding, comprehension and skill-set that ultimately contribute into their role for building peace in the society. The training strategically designed in a manner to ensure optimal interactions and mutual discussions with the group of participants that includes group works, role plays, revealing their personal stories on conflicts or violent conflicts and questions & answer sessions with CVE and media experts. The training curriculum included critical thinking, Diversity and ethics of disagreements, The power of one- self-awareness, Role of media in narrative building, types of information disorder, disinformation campaigns, How to stop fake news, tools to fight disinformation, different laws related to media.
Learning Outcomes:
As an outcome of the workshops, the participants prepared initial design for seed projects followed by their clusters (print, electronic and social media) to promote peace, tolerance, dialogue and interfaith harmony through effectively using media platforms. PEF’s team of experts have given feedback on initial ideas/design for seed projects, presented by Media Influencers.
Quotations of Participants- Takeaways:
Allama Abdul Khaliq Faridi, religious journalist expressed his view that “PEF’s workshop for Media Influencers has channelized our thinking that how we can effectively use media to build peace, tolerance and harmony in the society. Before the workshop, we somehow stuck with the prevailing role of media to sensationalize, confrontations and fake propaganda through social media.
Miss Rabia Fatima, a religious journal writer. She stated her opinions and added, “The four-day workshop provided me with a chance to meet with individuals having different media background and from different Muslim denominations. I realized that respecting different viewpoints is crucial that will drive us to build a peaceful society. I also witnessed an impact of fake news and propaganda through media. From now, I shall avoid to write anything without verification”.
Miss Farina Khattak, Social Media Activist Balochistan, she expressed her view that “I found this training workshop very interesting, inspiring and really beneficial for myself as an activist. Especially, I got clarity on understanding of laws related to media as well as session on fake news gives new experience for me and I realize that how misleading information divide and destabilize the society”.
Yaha Khan, print media expressed his opinions “There are quite a few options for print media journalist thus I believe this sort of workshop boost our media skills and connect various media folks with us. I have learned that how different narratives impact to the society through media and how we can use the media platform effectively to build peace, tolerance and interfaith harmony which is the dire need of the society.”
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