A Project by RSU and Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences Will Teach Journalists about Integration and Migration

Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) has launched a special project for media professionals in cooperation with Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences. The project's aim is to involve the national and regional media in promoting the integration of third-country nationals legally residing in Latvia into society. The project will include training sessions in Riga, Daugavpils, Liepāja and Valmiera as well as discussions, visits by experts, and learning from the experience of media professionals in Germany and Malta.

According to previous studies intolerance towards immigrants and minorities is increasing in European countries, including in Latvia. Migrants in Latvia, regardless of their country of origin and the purpose of their arrival, is often viewed as a threat. When reporting on how third-country nationals are received in Latvia, there are often difficulties in selecting information and other aspects regarding information literacy, such as where to obtain and how to interpret information on the subject.

The project will work with at least 30 representatives from Latvian national and regional media, involve  at least 10 media organisations that will delve into such topics as media literacy and critical thinking, deconstructing lies, hate speech, visual communication and how migration is portrayed, as well as stereotypes about migration and public health in the media. The project will also include regional discussions on the impact of migration on culture, media ethics regarding how to portray migration, deconstructing the news and migration issues in the Latvian border areas. To gain international experience and knowledge the project will include trips to Germany (Deutsche Welle) and Malta to learn about the social integration of third-country nationals.

The project is implemented by the RSU Faculty of Communication and Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences. Project participants include the newspapers Bauskas Dzīve, Kurzemnieks, Kurzemes Vārds and Neatkarīgās Tukuma Ziņas, Chayka.lv, the Latgale regional television network, the publisher Žurnāls Santa, the online news site TVNET, Vidusdaugava television and Vidzeme television.

The project is implemented with the support of the EU Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, project number: PMIF/7/2019/2/01