On Wednesday 27th September, 2017 and Thursday 28th September, 2017 from 9.00 am to 6.00 pm, at Sangallo Hotel in Perugia, FORMA.Azione srl organized two different editions of the Positive Messengers training course, aimed at reinforcing the competences of the key actors of the civil society, for a great effectiveness in counter hate on line, particularly towards migrants and refugees.

The course focused on building a multi-stakeholder coalitions for developing counter-narratives to denounce hate speech and negative representations of migrants and refugees. The training is one of the key-action of the Project “Coalition of Positive Messengers to Counter Online Hate Speech” - JUST/2015/RRAC/AG/BEST/8931, co-financed from European Commission, Directorate-General Justice (1 October 2016 - 30 September 2018).

FORMA.Azione srl (one of the two Italian partners), was responsible for the organization of the Italian training, that was held in Perugia with more than 65 participants. The training methodology has foreseen both face to face lessons and non-formal and informal training moments. 

On one hand, the first hours of the day were aimed at informing about legislation and Internet/online social media literacy main features and at transmitting general knowledge and raising awareness on online hate speech. For this part of the training the trainer was Giovanni Ziccardi, one of the maximum expert in this sector in Italy.

On the other hand, the non-formal and informal learning activities were based mainly on the exercises reported in the Bookmarks and the “WE Can” Manual of CoE. The trainers were Gabriella Klein and Koffi Dossou, from the Key&Key Communications, and Alessandra Coppola, who is the National Coordinator of the No Hate Speech Movement in Italy. Furthermore participants have been involved in producing the first Creative Tool of the project, thanks to the collaboration with The Pogovic, artists-photographers (see their specific form), who create the Positive Messengers License and connected HOT lines. 

At the end of the training all the participants were asked to give a feedback about the training. To ask a comment we decided to use the “First-Hand Reaction” instrument: we asked to choose a word, a symbol or something more particular, such as a colour, an adjective, a figure, a movie title, ect. to describe their experience at the training. All of them answered with positive words and symbols. 

SPEAKERS – Our trainers for the training in Perugia

https://www.facebook.com/Coalition-of-Positive-Messengers-ITA