EuropeOurDNA

22 January at 5pm CET : let's meet Arizza Nokum

Arizza Nocum, 23 years old, the Philippines. As the daughter of a Catholic father and a Muslim mother, Arizza grew up experiencing prejudice from both communities. This is what inspired her to use education as a tool to promote peace and tolerance. She founded KRIS, an NGO that builds libraries and provides scholarships to schoolchildren living in areas affected by violence. She has been recognised as one of the 100 most influential Filipino women in the world and was awarded the ‘Young Women in Public Affairs’ prize by Zonta International.

Micol - Junior Ambassador - Form 3^LC

Micol and her Team chose to talk about Italy. She organized the presentation and was chosen as spokesperson during the webinar.

Team 12 - Italy

Craft paper border

The presentation shared during the webinar.

EUROPEOURDNA dissemination

EuropeOurDNA is an eTwinning project which involved 50 EPAS Schools (European Parliament Ambassador School). We are two students who attend IIS "Galilei"; Linda from 2LD and Micol from 3LC, chosen by the teachers in charge of the Programme as Junior Ambassadors in representation of our school. We worked divided into 12 transnational teams, each team had a mentor, a Senior Ambassador. All the activities were carried out in English. During the kick off meeting we discovered the theme of the project, that is "democracy and social media". We were given the opportunity to work with other Junior Ambassadors, but also to meet important people such as Arizza Nocum who founded the NGO KRIS and is considered one of the most influential women in her country, Philippines. Her story impressed me a lot, so young she has already done so much. During the webinar she spoke to us about the social media situation in the Philippines and the impact it has on the government of this country. At the end of the talk we were able to ask her questions, she was really nice and answered all of us. In February, we met Mr Koetsenruijter, who worked for the EU, he spoke to us about how the EU is committed to defending democracy. (...) To celebrate Europe Day we met Professor Ricardo Castellini da Silva who is specialized in digital media and disinformation. Before the meeting, we were asked to choose an EU country and, after outlining its main characteristics and government, we had to do an in-depth study on press freedom in that country and bring examples of disinformation. Linda and her team chose Sweden, a model country in terms of press freedom, while my team and I chose Italy, unfortunately our country ranks 49 in the international rankings. 'It was very exciting,' Linda adds, 'because Micol and I were the spokespersons for our teams; we were a bit worried at the beginning because we had to speak in front of so many people but we managed to get our work done, which gave us great satisfaction(...) Congratulations to Micol for the beautiful logo she created and which was voted as the project logo. Linda 2LD, Micol 3LC

Dissemination of the eTwinning project EUROPEOURDNA during the final webinar of the project E.Y.E.S. on Democracy (Engaged Young European Students) carried out by two EPAS schools IIS Galileo Galilei Crema and Sant Gabriel Barcelona.

In the document “Democracy and Media” in Twinspace we mentioned the two aspects of the democratic role of the media: to inform the public about matters of public interest and to act as a watchdog over the government. In the 2021 Index of Reporters Without Borders, which evaluates the press freedom situation in 180 countries and territories annually, journalism was totally blocked or seriously impeded in many countries in the world. The Index data reflect a dramatic deterioration in people's access to information and an increase in obstacles to news coverage. The coronavirus pandemic has been used as grounds to block journalists’ access to information sources and reporting in the field.Source:&nbsp;<a href="https://rsf.org/en/2021-world-press-freedom-index-journalism-vaccine-against-disinformation-blocked-more-130-countries">https://rsf.org/en/2021-world-press-freedom-index-journalism-vaccine-against-disinformation-blocked-more-130-countries</a>&nbsp;26-02-2023. See also: https://rsf.org/en/index What about media and press freedom in your team’s country? Is media independent or connected with the authorities?&nbsp; Try to find at least two examples of mis- or disinformation by politicians in “your” country. How do citizens in your country “consume” news (which social media platforms are used most)? How many hours a day do citizens use (social) media in this country? We’d like you to create a ppt, canva, or similar presentation with the outcome of your research. In the next meeting, you’ll share the outcome of your research orally. We also ask you to discuss with your team the following question and share the output in the next meeting too: &nbsp; “should media be regulated/” and, if yes/no, why? How would regulation look like? Who should regulate?

European students present their research on disinformation

How prepared is the EU population to deal with disinformation? This was the question guiding a European project organized by eTwinning, an online educational platform connecting hundreds of thousands of teachers across Europe. The project was developed in partnership with the European Parliament Ambassador School (EPAS) programme, a network of secondary and vocational schools across the European Union raising awareness of European parliamentary democracy and European citizenship values. More than 100 students from 50 different schools in Ireland, Italy, Greece, Spain, Slovenia and the Netherlands were asked to carry out research on the role of the media in relation to democracy, investigating how Europeans use digital platforms, consume news, and deal with the disinformation problem. They investigated the media landscape in many European countries, examining issues related to media regulation, politics, and freedom of press.&nbsp; EDMO Ireland media literacy coordinator Ricardo Castellini da Silva was invited to participate in the final online session whereby students, divided into 12 teams, presented their research. Ricardo provided feedback to students on their work and discussed the many issues involved in the fight against disinformation in Europe, including the role of the EDMO hubs across the 27 EU member states. According to him, students showed a great awareness of the many problems associated with disinformation, especially the ones that pose a threat to European democratic values and the safety of the population. Students were also asked to give their opinion about the regulation of digital platforms, and according to Ricardo this was a very fruitful conversation with many interesting points being raised by the participants. The project showed the importance of engaging young people and providing a safe space for critical awareness and deliberation on digital media issues.&nbsp;

Arizza nocum_complete

We know that the European Union is founded on values that are common to all EU member states: Human dignity Human dignity is inviolable. It must be respected and protected and constitute fundamental rights' real basis. Freedom Freedom of movement gives citizens the right to move and reside freely within the Union. Individual freedoms such as respect for private life, freedom of thought, religion, assembly, expression and information are protected by the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. Democracy The functioning of the EU is founded on representative democracy. A European citizen automatically enjoys political rights. Every adult EU citizen has the right to stand as a candidate and to vote in elections to the European Parliament. EU citizens have the right to stand as a candidate and vote in their country of residence or country of origin. Equality Equality is about equal rights for all citizens before the law. The principle of equality between women and men underpins all European policies and is the basis for European integration. It applies in all areas. The principle of equal pay for equal work became part of the Treaty of Rome in 1957. Rule of law The EU is based on the rule of law. Everything the EU does is founded on treaties, voluntarily and democratically agreed by its EU countries. Law and justice are upheld by an independent judiciary. The EU countries gave final jurisdiction to the European Court of Justice - its judgments have to be respected by all. Human rights Human rights are protected by the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. These cover the right to be free from discrimination on the basis of sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation, the right to the protection of your personal data, and the right to get access to justice.

May 7, 2023 5 36 PM

Micol's presentation

Linda and Micol, the two Junior Ambassadors who participated in the project, share their experience with Italian and Spanish Junior Ambassadors and classmates.

Fake News & Democracy

Communism Communism is a centralized form of government led by a single party that is often authoritarian in its rule. Inspired by German philosopher Karl Marx, communist states replace private property and a profit-based economy with public ownership and communal control of economic production, such as labor, capital goods, and natural resources. Citizens are part of a classless society that distributes goods and services as needed. Socialism Socialism is a system that encourages cooperation rather than competition among citizens. Citizens communally own the means of production and distribution of goods and services, while a centralized government manages it. Each person benefits from and contributes to the system according to their needs and ability. Oligarchy Oligarchies are governments in which a collection of individuals rules over a nation. A specific set of qualities, such as wealth, heredity, and race, are used to give a small group of people power. Oligarchies often have authoritative rulers and an absence of democratic practices or individual rights. Aristocracy Aristocracy refers to a government form in which a small, elite ruling class — the aristocrats — has power over those in lower socioeconomic strata. Members of the aristocracy are usually chosen based on their education, upbringing, and genetic or family history. Aristocracies often connect wealth and ethnicity with both the ability and right to rule. Monarchy Monarchy is a power system that appoints a person as head of state for life or until abdication. Authority traditionally passes down through a succession line related to one's bloodline and birth order within the ruling royal family, often limited by gender. There are two types of monarchies: constitutional and absolute. Constitutional monarchies limit the monarch's power as outlined in a constitution, while absolute monarchies give a monarch unlimited power. Theocracy Theocracy refers to a form of government in which a specific religious ideology determines leadership, laws, and customs. In many instances, there is little to no distinction between scriptural laws and legal codes. Likewise, religious clergy will typically occupy leadership roles, sometimes including the highest office in the nation.

Team Task EuropeOurDNA Part A

In our previous meeting, you and your team members met in break-out rooms and discussed democracy. We would like you to dive a little bit further into the topic and try to find an answer to the following questions. Write down your answers to the questions first. Discuss the questions with your team members too : • What does “democracy” mean? • What are its benefits as a system of government? What are its disadvantages? • Is democracy worth protecting? Is it a better form of government than other systems, such as dictatorships or oligarchies? Why or why not? You will find a brief explanation of the different systems of government in the Twinspace of the project.

Types of Government Democracy Democracy is a form of government that allows the people to choose leadership. The primary goal is to govern through fair representation and prevent abuses of power. The result is a system that requires discourse, debate, and compromise to satisfy the broadest possible number of public interests, leading to majority rule (respecting minorities). Democracies advocate for fair and free elections, civic participation, human rights protections, and law and order.

Colonialism Colonialism is a form of government in which a nation extends its sovereignty over other territories. In other words, it involves the expansion of a nation's rule beyond its borders. Colonialism often leads to ruling over indigenous populations and exploiting resources. The colonizer typically installs its economy, culture, religious order, and government form to strengthen its authority. Totalitarianism Totalitarianism is an authoritarian form of government in which the ruling party recognizes no limitations whatsoever on its power, including in its citizens' lives or rights. A single figure often holds power and maintains authority through widespread surveillance, control over mass media, intimidating demonstrations of paramilitary or police power, and suppression of protest, activism, or political opposition. Military Dictatorship A military dictatorship is a nation ruled by a single authority with absolute power and no democratic process. The head of state typically comes to power in a time of upheavals, such as high unemployment rates or civil unrest. They usually lead the nation's armed forces, using it to establish their brand of law and order and suppress the people's rights. Dictators dismiss due process, civil liberties, or political freedoms. Dissent or political opposition can be dangerous or even deadly for the country's citizens. Autocracy&nbsp;&nbsp; An autocracy is a form of government in which one ruler has absolute control and decision-making power in all matters of state and over all the country’s people. Dictatorship Dictatorship, is a form of government in which one person or a small group possesses absolute power without effective constitutional limitations. The term dictatorship comes from the Latin title dictator, which in the Roman Republic designated a&nbsp;temporary&nbsp;magistrate who was granted extraordinary powers in order to deal with state crises. Modern dictators, however, resemble ancient tyrants rather than ancient dictators. Ancient philosophers’ descriptions of the tyrannies of Greece and Sicily go far toward characterizing modern dictatorships. Dictators usually resort to force or fraud to gain despotic political power, which they maintain through the use of intimidation, terror, and the suppression of basic civil liberties. They may also employ techniques of mass propaganda in order to sustain their public support. Source&nbsp;<a href="https://thebestschools.org/magazine/common-forms-of-government-study-starters/">https://thebestschools.org/magazine/common-forms-of-government-study-starters/</a>

Addressing Grievances – Extremely Together Guide

Nobel Peace Prize Winner Maria Ressa on How to Stand Up to a Dictator | Amanpour and Company

As Russians are standing strong against Putin's authoritarian rule, our next guest is no stranger to taking on dictators. Journalist and Nobel laureate Maria Ressa is a fearless defender of freedom, exposing corruption and abuse of power in the Philippines. Ressa joins Michel Martin to discuss her new book "How to Stand Up to a Dictator" and to offer tactics for fighting authoritarianism.

50 EPAS Schools together against disinformation in the eTwinning project EuropeOurDNA.

Team Task EuropeOurDNA - Part B

Part B What are, according to you and your team the essential elements of a healthy democracy;&nbsp;why are these elements critical to a working democracy and how can these elements be protected from anti-democratic forces? Rank the following 14 elements, common in democracies, from most important to least important. If a society doesn’t have this particular element, is it still a democracy? checks and balances:&nbsp;a system of separate branches of government that ensures political power is not concentrated in the hands of a single branch civic participation:&nbsp;a society in which people take their civic duties seriously, such as by voting, staying informed, and advocating issues they care about economic freedom:&nbsp;people are allowed to earn a living in a free marketplace education: a system that provides young people with skills and information, so they can make informed decisions and secure economic independence equality:&nbsp;all people are treated equally by the law free and fair elections:&nbsp;regularly scheduled elections in which all voters have an equal opportunity to participate and where final results reflect honest vote totals freedom:&nbsp;the right to act, speak and think as one wants without interference from the government free press:&nbsp;news media is not controlled or restricted by the government independent judiciary: judges have the freedom to decide cases impartially, based on their interpretation of the law and the facts limited government: a constitution that defines and limits the powers of government minimal corruption:&nbsp;public trust that most elected leaders and civil servants (e.g., police officers and judges) perform their jobs without bribery or criminality multiparty system: a political system that includes multiple parties to represent the varied interests of the public rule of law:&nbsp;no one is above the law, including government leaders transparency:&nbsp;information on how officials conduct public business and spend taxpayers’ money is readily available and easily understood Do you think elements are missing? (source&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/07/learning/lesson-plans/is-democracy-at-risk-a-lesson-plan-for-us-and-global-history-classes.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/07/learning/lesson-plans/is-democracy-at-risk-a-lesson-plan-for-us-and-global-history-classes.html</a>, 6 January 2023) We’ll compare and discuss all team lists in a joint meeting.

Galilei's Junior Ambassadors in the project

TEAM 5&nbsp; Marija&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Croatia Alexandra Romania Niklas &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Slovakia Spiros&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Greece&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Kate &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ireland Leonhard &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Austria Linda Italy&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Urte&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Lithuania

TEAM 12 Ana-Maria Romania&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Martin Slovakia Elena Greece Skaiste Lithuania&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Klara Poland Micol Italy&nbsp; Sophie Austria&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Natalia Spain

TEAM 1 Inis Ireland Salma Spain Andra Romania Edoardo Italy Samuil Bulgaria Gabriella Greece&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sim Netherlands&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; TEAM 7 Giulia Italy&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Albei Romania Antonia Greece Ziva Slovenia&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Paula Spain Izac Belgium Felix Austria Ines Croatia

Team Task EuropeOurDNA - Part C

There are countries in the world that never met the features of a democracy. There are also countries where democracy has been dismantled or where democracy is being thwarted by elected leaders and ruling parties.&nbsp; Choose a country to research and look for signs that democracy has already been dismantled or that is currently being threatened or that the existing government has taken steps to prevent democracy from ever taking hold. Possible countries to research are Russia, Saudi Arabia, China (and Hong Kong), Venezuela, Turkey, Hungary, Brazil, Ecuador, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Nicaragua, and Poland. You could check the website of the Freedom House to get inspired too. Describe the country and its government. - In which way/ways did its leader and/or its ruling party move/moved away from democracy or prevented the country to become a democracy? - What is/was the impact/consequence? How significant do you think the change is/was? Please process the outcome of your research in a presentation. (e.g. canva, ppt, video, podcast) 	We’ll share and discuss the presentations in a joint meeting. You have probably heard of what’s going on in Brazil right now:&nbsp; <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-64212627">https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-64212627</a>

The EU’s values are laid out in article 2 of the Lisbon Treaty and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. The Treaty on European Union also sets out the conditions and principles to which any country wishing to become a member of the European Union (EU) must conform. One of these criteria is: stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities. Let’s take a closer look at EU member states, their democracy, and (social) media. We would like each team to choose an EU country. As soon as you have chosen a country, write your team number behind this country in the dedicated file in Twinspace. Then you start your team research (split tasks) The history of the country Demographics Government Voter turnout during elections European Parliament in 2019

EDMO – United against disinformation

A hoax about the Italian government introducing a “Family pride” is circulating across the world

Floods in Italy, drought in Spain, but the disinformation is the same

IDMO

EDMO Hubs – EDMO

IDMO_Youtube

Interested in disinformation, multimodality and new literacy studies.

"Media Literacy Coordinator for the Ireland EDMO Hub. Postdoctoral Researcher at DCU - FuJo. Interested in disinformation, multimodality and new literacy studies. Since 2015, I have been developing, managing and delivering lectures and workshops on topics related to digital media practices, media education, cultural studies and multimodal learning environments, both in Ireland and abroad. I have also been teaching on undergraduate and graduate programmes at both Dublin City University and Trinity College Dublin. I am currently a member of the steering group of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland’s Media Literacy Ireland network."

<a href="https://ie.linkedin.com/in/ricardocastellini">https://ie.linkedin.com/in/ricardocastellini</a>

Media Literacy Repository – EDMO

Fact-checking Activities – EDMO

Extremely Together's Arizza Nocum

Linda - Junior Ambassador - Form 2^LD

Linda and her Team chose to talk about Sweden. She organized the presentation and was chosen as spokesperson during the webinar.

Team 5 _ Sweden

The situation in the Philippines is very interesting to dive into. It is a great example of what effects social media can have on democracies.

In 2021 The Philippines was considered the top consumer of social media in the world. It was the number one country worldwide whose citizens spent the most time on the internet and social media. Filipinos spent an average of 10 hours and 56 minutes on the internet daily via any device. Although this top position has been taken over by South-Africa, the Philippines is still very close to the top 2. You may have heard of Maria Ressa. She is a Filipino, Nobel Peace Prize winner in 2021, and co-founder of the Philippines’ top digital-only news site. She says (regarding the use of social media): “That means the Philippines is ground zero for the terrible effects that social media can have on a nation’s institutions, its culture, and the mind of its populace. Every development that happens in my country eventually happens in the rest of the world - if not tomorrow, then a year or two years later” 3. The situation in the Philippines is very interesting to dive into. It is a great example of what effects social media can have on democracies. Arizza knows all about this topic. Apart from her work on PVE (prevention of violent extremism) and peace education, Arizza Nocum also works as Managing Director of a digital communications firm based in Manila. The influence of (social)media on democracy and human rights, is a central theme she tackles in her work.

Arizza will share the critical impact of media with us in our next meeting.

Name

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