MINELRES: Czech Republic: 'Beware of your prejudices!' public awareness campaign
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Wed Nov 1 18:37:00 2006
Original sender: David Ruiz <[email protected]>
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Details:
David Ruiz
Partners-Czech
Phone: +420-233-321-503 | Fax: +420-224-316-630
[email protected]
www.partnersczech.cz
Partners-Czech launches �Beware of your prejudices!� public awareness
campaign to challenge stereotypes of Roma, minority groups
PRAGUE (October 30, 2006) � A public service announcement encouraging
Czechs to be aware of their prejudices is being aired on Czech national
television and in cinemas across the country for a month starting from
October 16. The announcement was created by Partners-Czech, a Czech
nongovernmental organization, to challenge long-held stereotypes of Roma
and other Czech minority groups and is targeted towards adolescents and
young adults who are swayed by societal prejudices.
The 30-second spot begins with a non-Roma Czech male having just boarded
a Prague tram. When he realizes his wallet is missing, the man blames a
Roma youth, assuming he has stolen the wallet. In the end, a young girl
points out that the missing wallet is on the floor of the tram car, and
the man, embarrassed, realizes his mistake. In the final frame, a slogan
in Czech reminds viewers to �Beware not just of your possessions, but
also of your prejudices.�
The media campaign is part of the four-year Roma Integration Program
implemented by Partners for Democratic Change (Partners),
Partners-Czech, Partners-Hungary and Partners-Slovakia. Partners-Czech
produced the public service announcement with help from Czech firms Punk
Film (www.punkflim.cz) and d.code (www.dcode.cz).
In addition to the TV and cinema spots, posters were created and a
website (www.predsudky.cz) was launched to provide further information
about the campaign. Visitors to the site can download videos, posters
and other campaign material.
The Roma Integration Program, currently in its final year, increases
political and economic opportunities for Roma and supports inter-ethnic
dialogue and cooperation in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia. In
three target Czech communities, Bruntal, Chomutov and Pardubice,
Partners-Czech works with government, NGO, and private sector
representatives to identify Roma community needs and draft action plans
to address these issues. Nationally, Partners-Czech facilitates policy
roundtables, school-based initiatives and media programs designed to
foster collaborative Roma integration efforts. The United States Agency
for International Development (USAID) has provided nearly $2.8 million
dollars of assistance in the three countries to support these
efforts.
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