Due to the outbreak of the second wave of the Covid-19 Virus, the InSPIRE Project (Incubator Spaces for Promoting Information Rights and Freedom of Expression), which was signed between HELVETAS and University of Jaffna with funds from the European Commission (EC), could no longer execute the filed activities as planned and decided to continue the project activities online without having physical gatherings as a contingency programme.

In order to introduce and make an awareness about the InSPIRE project, future activities and its benefits amongst the students and encourage them to enroll in the project, and start a dialogue on the issues related to Covid-19 second wave and freedom of expression in Sri Lanka such as: fake news, misinformation, hate speech, un-ethical behaviour of media and discrimination against people affected by the Covid-19 and influence the participants to become responsible media users, the project orientation programme was conducted under the title of ‘I am a Responsible Media Citizen’.

The programme was focused on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd year students, who are the potential future beneficiaries to be trained as ethical and socially responsible journalists and media professionals during the InSPIRE project.

The competition, a main part of the programme was held for 3 days. The students were given the opportunity to express their creative ideas through cartoons, memes, videos, photos and captions on the thematic areas such as (i) Gender equality (ii) Digital Citizenship (iii) Right to Information (iv) Fake news (v) Freedom of expression & (vi) Responsible use of social media. An immense interest and enthusiasm was displayed by the participants during this competition.

Ms. Ratnajothy Gowry won the individual champion award and the ‘Duck Out’ Team won the group competition.

The award ceremony was virtually organized on 5th December, 2020 with the participation of the officials from HELVETAS and Sri Lanka Development Journalist Forum (SDJF), and Head and staff of Department of Media Studies.

The organizers specially appreciated the students of Media Studies for their highest number of participation in the orientation programme compare with other stakeholders of the InSPIRE Project University of Sri Jayewardenepura and University of Peradeniya.

For more details : https://ldjf.org/news/63/responsible_media_expressions