“Inclusion Starts with Me”: A Campaign about People, Emotions, and Changes

Tolerance, acceptance, and respectful attitude towards diversity are the fundamental aspects of an inclusive society; therefore, assuming the role of a stimulus to change from the individual to the collective level is essential if we intend to create communities where everyone is truly valued. “Without respecting human rights, no progress exists,” “Every human being deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their disability,” and “Being different is absolutely normal” are some of the key messages conveyed within the “Inclusion Starts with Me” campaign conducted by the Independent Journalism Center (IJC) during the two recent years.

The campaign included various activities intended for the general public, on the one hand, and the media community, on the other hand, as it plays a crucial part in promoting human rights. In a number of video stories, the IJC gives a chance to speak to the protagonists with different life experiences who have managed to become promoters of improving the world regardless of any sorts of hindrances and obstacles, becoming true examples of civic participation for their communities. The other problematic aspects related to the inclusion of elderly people, the Romani, persons with disabilities, or NEET young people were considered and discussed in the other video materials produced by the IJC.

“We did not directly intend this campaign for educating the public or society. Instead, we planned to share some stories, to explain the things which are apparently widely known but still have to be discussed, in order to make some small but sure steps towards an inclusive society. We intended to stir some emotions and probably to make the audience think, to shatter persisting stereotypes or beliefs related to vulnerable groups. The fact that some products made during the campaign turned out to be the most frequently shared ones in the history of the IJC demonstrates that we were on the right track, and hundreds of comments under some video materials prove that the campaign messages resonated with the public, and such topics are of great interest,” Nadine Gogu, IJC Executive Director, says.

Another component of the campaign is focused on improving the media’s skills of documenting and covering the topics regarding vulnerable groups. Journalists, media experts, and human rights defenders explained the aspects related to inclusion and provided some valuable recommendations during the Media Azi broadcast and in the analyses published on the IJC, Mediacritica, and Media Azi platforms.

“When the public gets used to seeing mentions of all categories of persons in society in reports, disability will no longer remain an issue for the news. Inclusive communication transformed into media products which inform the public instead of making the audience cry needs to be considered and gradually assumed; it should become a routine. It is definitely more complicated, and preparing such a topic is more time-consuming, but there is no other way to create high-quality things, and mentality can’t be changed in one day,” Viorica Zaharia, journalist and president of the Press Council, affirms.

Also within the campaign, a video titled “Altă planetă” (“Another Planet”) calling for more tolerance and less discrimination was launched.

The campaign was aimed at contributing to shattering the existing stereotypes regarding socially vulnerable and marginalized groups and to improve the degree of comprehending the notion of inclusion by citizens; therefore, it was supposed to increase the chances for building a more inclusive society. “Inclusion is not (only) about and for the so-called ‘marginalized’ or vulnerable categories. However, we are used to perceiving it this way. ‘Oh, it’s about inclusion, is it about persons with disabilities?’ Not exactly. It’s about a comfortable, friendly, open, fair, and equal environment for everyone: for a Romani mother and a visually impaired child, as well as for a 20-year-old student and a businessman who permanently has no time at all. And about the opportunities for all of us to reveal our talents and skills,” Olga Afanas, civic activist and one of the campaign’s supporters, affirms.

During the campaign, 12 videos were produced, five Media Azi broadcasts were aired, and 15 analytical articles and editorials were published. The created content was shared by over 20 national and local media outlets, and the campaign activities were covered in over 70 news items.

All the content produced is available on the IJC platforms. In addition, the materials can be found on the IJC social networks with the #incluziuneaîncepedelamine hashtag.

The “Inclusion Starts with Me” campaign was organized within the “Building cohesion in Moldova through promoting social inclusion and diminishing discrimination” project implemented by the IJC within the “Joint Initiative for Equal Opportunities – Phase II” program implemented with the support from the Government of Switzerland.