Introduction

This project is fully funded with a €25,000 grant by the Iceland – Liechtenstein – Norway Active Citizens Fund operated by SOS Malta and is led by the African Media Association under the helm of Levi Jikong in partnership with NWAMI International Malta.

The Active Citizens Fund (ACF) forms part of the special programme for civil society (2014-2021), within the European Economic Area (EEA) Grants. The EEA Grants are funded jointly by three donor countries – Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway and are allocated to 15 countries in Central & Southern Europe and the Baltics. The ACF has been allocated a budget of €700,000 for the period between 2019 and 2024. The objectives of ACF Malta are to strengthen civil society, empower vulnerable groups, promote human rights and social inclusion, and increase public involvement in civic activities.

With our collaboration we aim to move beyond the ‘single story’ to combat social exclusion through media literacy, critical thinking, and healthy debate. The project was purposively designed by Maria-Gabriele Doublesin, Chairperson of NWAMI International Malta, to set an example of cross-functional collaboration between two different NGOs for the benefit of their different communities

The project’s short name SMITE stands for ‘Stereotypes & Mass Information Together Explored’ was chosen due to its phonetic resemblance to the Maltese verb ‘smajt,’ (‘I/you heard’), reminding us of how easily influenced we are by what is whispered in our ears. The concept of SMITE is based on the Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche’s notion of the Single Story and how this impacts our perceptions of one another, our attitudes and actions.

Through our project’s activities, we are seeking to bridge the gap between local and migrant communities and aim to promote community cohesion through engagement activities between representatives of local and migrant communities

The activities will address issues concerning the creation, dissemination, and processing of one-sided media information.

Panel discussions which serve as educational awareness sessions with panellists representing local and migrant communities aim to educate the public on issues related to media literacy, address ethical issues in blogging and social media posts, encourage mindful listening, critical thinking, and encourage healthy debate.

Our SMITE project team invites anyone interested in this project to follow our updates on Facebook and YouTube. More information on upcoming events will also be posted in the ‘News & Events’ section of this website.

For Participants, Stakeholders and Facilitators

We welcome members of local and migrant communities, the Institute of Journalists, the Malta Broadcasting Authority, the Malta Communications Authority, journalists, freelance writers, influencers, educators, student representatives, Local Councils, and community workers who wish to participate directly in the project can also contact us by email.

To join our online and in-person activities please click on the registration link you will find on this website. The team can be contacted  on [email protected].