Young People from Cahul Learned About Media Education and How to Realize Innovative Projects Locally

Young people from Cahul were invited on Thursday, May 11, to a European Cafe organized by the Independent Journalism Center. Several experts were invited to facilitate the discussion, and together with participants they addressed various aspects of media education. Diana Raileanu, journalist at Radio Free Europe, spoke about the role and importance of media education for each of us as a means of avoiding informational intoxication. Through a practical exercise, participants tried to identify in different newspapers articles that inform neutrally and materials that favor certain politicians. The young people showed analytical skills, giving convincing reasons why they find a material manipulative. 

Ina Grejdeanu, Strategic Development Officer at the IJC, presented to young people several media education tools developed by the Independent Journalism  Center and other partners, which can be accessed by young people both for information and to have fun while learning new things: mediacritica.md, Stop Fals application, and the game Media Erudit. The guest urged young people to be vigilant and not be manipulated, because the information we consume can affect us as well as the foods we consume – this is also the conclusion of the video “Do you know what media you consume,” with which she ended her presentation.

The young people had the opportunity to learn more about the work of the local newspaper “Gazeta de Sud” from editor Ion Ciumeica. The journalist shared newspapers and told about how the publication covers the problems of the young. His appeal to young readers was to be active, to capitalize on the opportunities they have, and to seek their vocation.

Finally, the participants had a session on identifying project ideas for youth at the local level. Ana Indoitu, president of Invento, talked about several projects implemented by young people and said that in order to achieve your goals, only two things are needed: health and will. Attendees identified problems in their community and learned how to prioritize them in order to solve them later through projects.
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“European Café” meetings for young people take place in different places in Moldova. Activities are carried out within the project “Strengthening Independence in Communication Media in Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia,” implemented by the Independent Journalism Center in collaboration with Internews.