Description
Cartoons and traditional fairytales are subconciously instilling in children a sense of racism, homophobia and xenophobia, whilst promoting gender inequality, social inequality, poverty and exclusion. The project is a re-launch of three popular and traditional fairytales which are discriminatory and against human rights. The highly-executed cartoons will be recounting these fairytales by promoting social and human rights, addressing gender and social inequality, tackling poverty and exclusion. Stereotyped perceptions will be changed with children at an early age. Expected Outcomes include: Democratic Values, including human rights, promoted, Empowerment of vulnerable groups and Advocacy and human watchdog role developed. The project’s relevant objective is to promote issues such as: hatespeech; Human rights and democratization; Racism and xenophobia; Homophobia; Gender equality; Migration with major focus on minors and integration; Elderly care; Domestic violence.
Summary of project results
Social and human rights themes should be promoted with children from a young age, yet traditional fairytales subconsciously instil a sense of racism, homophobia and xenophobia, promote gender and social inequality, poverty, exclusion and more in children minds, that results in hate-speech and lack of understanding and tolerance. The purpose of this project is to promote social and human rights themes via creating three cartoons that encourage such values, specifically gender equality, tolerance and multicultural understanding, and anti-racism. Three cartoons, based on popular fairytales, such as “Sleeping Beauty”, “The Emperor’s New Clothes” and “The Princess and the Pea”, were produced (in Maltese and English) and made available free-of-charge in the cinema, on television and on specially-made website, they were also promoted on Facebook. In addition, DVDs and posters were distributed to all the schools in Malta, flyers were made for the media. The projects outcomes: the promotion of democratic values, including human rights; empowerment of vulnerable groups; and advocacy & human watchdog role development. To achieve them a special promo was developed and produced to advertise the cartoons on One Television, which is one of the most popular local television stations in Malta with the most faithful viewership, PR was carried out to promote the cartoons. One Television also transmitted the cartoons. A poster was designed and 500 flyers were printed. The cartoons were then transferred to DVD format and 250 copies were commissioned. The beneficiary contacted every school in Malta and Gozo and presentations were carried out to a number of these schools. The NGO met with children and teachers, showed them the cartoons and explained the importance of the themes tackled. Also, the project continued getting more exposure on television, magazines and radio. What is more, the NGO showcased the cartoons as well as carried out a presentation at the Mediterranean Conference Centre and during the Malta Trade Fair. The project was also awarded the European Label Award during a special ceremony at the European Union Programmes Agency.
Summary of bilateral results