INDIGENOUS ACADEMY is teaming up with indigenous communities worldwide on a new project to empower indigenous communities with the goal of helping them to produce their own media coverage to voice the news and views of their communities.
Alpeggiani Marco, Executive Director of INDIGENOUS ACADEMY, photojournalist, International Cultural Mediator and pupil of the international recognized editor Colin Jacobson said yesterday that this collaboration holds immense value for the indigenous community because it will give them a channel to amplify their voices across various media platforms.
He said, “It is critically important for our community media initiative, which can empower indigenous communities through the improvement of their media literacy and digital abilities.”
The project is tasked with supporting media projects in developing countries, and works to foster the growth of free and pluralistic media.
The announcement added that INDIGENOUS ACADEMY will work with indigenous communities in Africa, Europe, Asia, America and Oceania to enhance their media, information and digital literacy with the goal of learning how to critically access, evaluate and use digital content to make informed decisions and participate in the process of national development.
It noted that the project will address the challenges that indigenous communities face, including limited access to mass media information in their mother tongues, which often leads to the exclusion of their voices from public debates and discussions.
“By enhancing the skills and abilities of indigenous youths to create and share news content, the project will help amplify their voices and raise awareness about issues, which are important for their communities, and call for an effective response from the relevant authorities,” INDIGENOUS ACADEMY said.
It said that as the project training sessions will cover various aspects such as mobile reporting, content production, radio hosting and the global principles on freedom of expression and digital rights. Following the training sessions, young indigenous reporters will establish five dedicated Facebook pages, each presenting information in a unique indigenous language.
INDIGENOUS ACADEMY noted that the young digital reporters will be tasked with publishing weekly content in their respective indigenous languages, ensuring a consistent flow of information and engagement with their communities.
It added that their online work will create a space to generate discussions among their communities on matters that are important to them. Finally, the young indigenous journalists will share content with a strong awareness-raising component that helps them to better understand media information and their civil rights in a more positive and critically thoughtful way.
INDIGENOUS ACADEMY partners with Indigenous media producers who are amplifying Indigenous voices on issues that matter to their communities.
