This is what fellows do every day in their hometowns and especially here – in the HIA Poland Fellowship! This day was unique for all participants because we found out more about social campaigns and started developing the skills to create them. We can use these skills to use social campaigns in action projects in our native countries after finishing the program in Warsaw. After the training we made acquaintance with “Ways of Combating Racism, Xenophobia and Intolerance.”
Young human rights defenders from the Europe and USA face many challenges investigating and defending the rights of others. It’s necessary to mention that each participant came to the capital of Poland with certain interest and topics that he or she had investigated. During the training we thought of important questions: “Why should other care?” and “How we can make somebody else to join us and to take specific action?” Political, religious and human rights issues are a subject of our personal interests but indeed none else cares. We need to make enormous efforts in order to develop interest and responsibility in socially passive personalities.
I’m convinced that after this lecture the fellows will develop campaigns and creative ideas in a simple way because of the useful and professional advice, tips and comments from a highly qualified practitioner Marek Dorobisz, creative director of the NEXT.
There is no unique recipe on how to organize a social campaign successfully, but still there are some rules that we must follow. First of all, it is necessary to write a brief. A brief consists of the exact topic, real circumstances we are in, and possible perspectives. Furthermore, some key components such as a precise target group, clear goals, understandable language and motivation to the action after the project should be included to any social campaign.
After watching diversity of international examples of social campaigns and social advertisement concerning human rights, learning from lecture’s experience we made our first attempt at a social campaign. I’m persuaded it will be a great support in our Action Projects, personal, and probably carrier development in the future.
Another valuable meeting was with a representative of “Never Again Association” Jacek Purski. This is an organization that makes a positive contribution in combating racism, xenophobia and intolerance. It uses widespread instruments and tools namely abovementioned social campaigns, producing magazine, and publishing books with statistics of racist incidents in Poland. The 2012 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as Euro 2012, was the 14th European Championship for national football teams. Unfortunately even this event was not without racial intolerance inside and outside the football stadium. There is a big difference between supporters and extreme fans that provoke misunderstandings, fights and beatings. I strongly believe that Polish civil society, human rights activists, and HIA Fellows will promote international tolerance and understanding in every sphere of this wonderful country.
- Ievgeniia Blazhevska (Ukrainian Fellow)
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