Europe
International Training Course Social Media & Human Rights
Can smart dissidents create change?
The Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights opens its doors to digital activists, launches the “SMART DISSIDENTS” project, and awards the 2011 Best Blogger Prize.
(2012-06-06) What is the role of technology to protect Human Rights? To what extent can digital activism promote freedom of expression and stir up revolutions? These will be the question that the high level international course on "Human Rights and Social Media: Can Smart Dissidents Create Change?" will discuss next 18-19 June 2012 in Florence, Tuscany, in the ex-prison complex of Le Murate. The course is organized by the Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) Center for Justice and Human Rights in collaboration with the City of Florence and the United States of America Embassy in Italy.
The Human Rights and Social Media course marks the beginning of the “SMART DISSIDENTS” project whereby the RFK Center, in collaboration with the City of Florence, will welcome digital dissidents providing the physical space (Le Murate) as well as the intellectual opportunity to work with the Italian and international community for the defence of freedom of information and Human Rights. In fact, The RFK Center has chosen the ex-prison of Le Murate in Florence as the Headquarter of its High Level Training Institute.
Some of the major experts of SOAS University and the European University Institute will conduct the two round tables and workshops on media and revolution, and the recent evolution in the Arab media landscape. Participants include bloggers and activists who have become icons of the Arab Spring such as Egyptian Dalia Ziada and Tunisian Kerim Bouzouita, together with representatives from some of the best-known International blogosphere information networks, like Bernardo Parrella from Global Voices Online, Ayman Abdel Nour from all4syria.org, Riadh Guerfali from Nawaat.org. Representatives of Ushahidi, the open-source crowdmapping service developed in Kenya, already used by activists in many countries around the world, will also take part in the event.
Professionals from the Master in Journalism of the City University in London, the Frontline Journalism Club, the Italian Sole 24 Ore, the TV channel SKY TG 24 and from IPS-Inter Press Service will attend as well. The two days course in which the RFK Center will take the occasion to launch an “app” for Android/Apple to involve students and communities in the Human Rights defence and education, will end with the award ceremony – for students and professionals – of the prestigious Robert F. Kennedy European Journalism Award for its third edition (the American equivalent has come this year to its 44th edition). This year along with the ‘Smart Dissidents’ project for the first time will be awarded the Social Media category and the winner will gain the possibility to spend a period at “Le Murate”.
The Course is addressed to journalists, communication professionals, bloggers, activists, teachers, professors, civil society representatives, university & post-graduate students, and human-right defenders in general.
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