Youth Forum on Refugees and Migrants in the New Media in SEE and CE (Paid Call)

Deadline: 15 March 2017
Open to: students, young researchers and activists with an interest in social sciences coming from Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia
Participation fee: EUR 150

About the Youth Forum

The Youth Forum “Refugees and Migrants in the New Media in South-East Europe and Central Europe” aims to discover how the new media in these regions have been reflecting on the migrant and/or refugee crisis and to what extent they contributed to the promotion of diversity. The Youth Forum will take place in Skopje (Macedonia) in the period between 30 March and 1 April 2017.

The Youth forum is the follow-up event within the project You(th) Challenging Diversity: Representation of Minorities in the New Media, aiming to foster European citizenship and improve conditions for civic and democratic participation at Union level. This event will tackle yet again the issues of minorities and new media, but mostly in the context of the ongoing migrant and/ or refugee crisis.

The participating countries were strongly affected by the escalating waves of migrants and/ or refugees and these occurrences inevitably shaped media attention. The media as opinion-makers often constructed the image of migrants and/ or refugees through the process of “otherisation”, making a clear distinction between “us” and “them”.  However, as a space for open and equal access, they should play a vital role in promoting diversity, tolerance, social affirmation and change.

That being the case, it is essential to keep track of promoting active citizenship, participation and appreciation of differences, instead of creating the so-called “culture of fear” or “fear of the unknown”, based on negative approach towards all minorities, especially towards migrants and/ or refugees. It remains questionable however, whether the new media will follow the pattern of traditional media, or will indeed contribute to an increased societal cohesion and set forth better professional standards.

Eligibility

Young students, researchers, journalists and activists coming from Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and Slovenia are welcomed to apply. There is no age limit, however, applicants aged 18-35 will have the advantage to be selected.

Costs

More than 50 participants at the Youth Forum are funded by Visegrad Fund and CEI fund, however there are some still available spots for those participants willing to self-finance their participation. 

Namely, participation fee is EUR 150 and the sum includes:

  • Dinner on 30 March;
  • Breakfast, lunch and dinner on 31 March;
  • Breakfast and lunch on 1 April;
  • Two coffees on 31 March and 1 April;
  • Conference materials.

This sum doesn’t include transport, participants should cover their own travel expenses.

Accommodation will be in a youth friendly venue, located close to the city center of Skopje.

How to apply?

  • CV (recommendable in Europass format) containing the education, job experience (if applicable) and social activities of the candidate;
  • Brief motivation letter (max. 1 page) describing how they will contribute and what are their expectations from the Conference;
  • The documents should be sent to: recruitments@mladiinfo.eu no later than 15 March 2017.

Selection results will be announced no later than three days after the ascribed deadline.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us at recruitments@mladiinfo.eu.

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