Mediaboss Marketing

If youre a creative type, youve likely heard of the Moleskine notebook, branded as the heir to the little blank books used by the likes of van Gogh, Picasso and Hemingway. Maybe you even picked one up during quarantine in the hopes of one day being known by surname only. Headquartered in Milan, the Moleskine company has around 500 employees today and a vast network of partners. It produces physical and digital notebooks, and even runs cafes.

In 2006, the company launched the Moleskine Foundation, which works with an eye toward Africa at the intersection of three focus areas: innovative education, art and culture for social transformation, and advocacy.

Creativity is a function of knowledge to a certain extent. Its not just about having information. Its about what youre going to do with it, says Adama Sanneh, CEO and co-founder of Moleskine Foundation, in a recent interview.

The foundation began as lettera27an unconventional cultural incubatorillustrating the unique philanthropic angle here. And though incubating culture might seem a bit nebulous, Sanneh spoke at length about Moleskines real impact on the ground, and how it uses creativity as a path toward social change.

Consider its WikiAfrica Education initiative, which launched in 2006 just five years after Wikipedia itself launched. Harnessing the promise of creativity, the initiative has generated over 40,000 Wikipedia contributions since its launch, and over 200 articles in 18 languages about COVID-19 in the past year alone. The goal is to serve as a way to support creative young people on the continent, and also to improve online information about Africa.

But just how did this unconventional foundation get started, why did it partner with Wikimedia, and how is the partnership emblematic of the foundations overall aims to impact African youth?

African roots

Born in Italy as the son of a Muslim West African father and an Italian Catholic mother, Sanneh has long been interested in questions of identity. His honors thesis as a political science major in undergrad was titled Identity Paradox in the Second Generation of Immigrants in Italy. He got his feet wet in the world of NGOs, working in Northern Uganda and the capital city Kampala.

After a time, though, Sanneh wondered if he was on the right side of history. Where was I in the overall international aid machine? Even though we were reaching many people and making a difference I didnt feel like I was part of the right system, he says.

Sanneh went on to earn his MBA from the University of Geneva and then worked as a consultant for the World Intellectual Property Organization, a specialized agency of the United Nations. Working within the Global Challenges Division, he started to realize the power of creative tools to solve global challenges like climate change and food security.

I entered in the field of art, culture, and education and had a slow but steady epiphany, Sanneh says with a laugh. A lot of the questions I had in Uganda, I started to find some answers to.

Using creativity to change the world

As lettera27 evolved into Moleskine Foundation, the company behind the organization doubled down its support so that the nonprofit could scale. While backed by the Moleskine company, it operates independently, running its own programs and partnerships while also making grants to aligned organizations.

And with Sanneh at the helm, the foundation was able to get off the ground quickly, thanks to lettera27s 10-year runway creating partnerships with cultural, creative and educational institutions around Africa.

Consider partner organization Constitution Hill in Johannesburg, a former prison complex from the Apartheid era whose walls held the likes of Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi. Today, Constitution Hill is a living museum that tells the story of South Africas journey to the present. The foundation has been working with the organization for years, and others like it, even when it wasnt the popular choice.

Ten years ago, some looked at you like you were some kind of New Age person. But very early on in the game, we had the chance to meet some incredible partners, he says.

Moleskine Foundation works to encourage, inspire and connect young people to transform themselves and then larger society through unconventional educational experiences. One past initiative called the Directors Eye supported authors and producers of African cinema throughout the phases of film development and production.

The foundation also has a long history with Ashoka, the well-known international association of social innovators, and was an early supporter of Ashokas Changemaker Schools Africa, which has launched dozens of schools and also runs storytelling workshops.

Where is Africa on Wikipedia?

As a top-five global website with some 6.1 billion visitors per month, Wikipedia is as ubiquitous as the air we breathe, and the perfect mic drop in an intense internet debatenot that Im encouraging such a thing. Still, as with many other internet era phenomena, Wikipedia wasnt always Wikipedia.

In 2006, lettera27 had an intuition, Sanneh says. Where is Africa on Wikipedia? It was intuition, because at the time, Wikipedia wasnt even a big deal. And I was just a young volunteer.

The organization decided to make an early bet, partnering with Wikimedia Italia to launch WikiAfrica, an international movement that encourages individuals, interested groups and organizations to create, expand and enhance online content about Africa.

WikiAfrica Education introduces, trains and supports teachers as they incorporate Wikipedia article writing into their lesson plans. The initiative conducts edit-a-thon events so they can learn more about the Wikimedia platform and supports teacher training. Students learn important literacy skills, how to work in collaboration, and best practices and tools relating to critical thinking. The ultimate goal is to build the next generation of online content creators.

I can tell you, there is more information about the city of Paris now than about the entire African continent, Sanneh says; he knows the consequences of the lack of online representation for people of color. He recalls the first time he landed in New York and met a Black American, who asked where Sanneh was from. When he said Italy, the man was surprised.

Hes like, Wait, Italy has Black people? Sanneh recalls with a smile.

For these reasons, WikiAfrica is focused on the entire diaspora, impacting people around the world who know what it means to live in a society where you arent fully reflected. For instance, Moleskine, in partnership with Constitution Hill and AFROPUNK (conveners of the popular Brooklyn music festival), curated the names of 12 Black South African women who were erased from history.

WikiAfrica created an educational program in which young people could learn about women like Joyce Seroke, a South African educator, activist, feminist and community organizer who fought against apartheid. From there, young people wrote these entries in their own languagesZulu, Xhosa, Venda and so on.

In one day, the event produced 70 new entries in five African languages about these vital figures.

Another larger AfroCuration event focused on the constitution of South Africa and anti-Apartheid efforts, and resulted in more than 200 written articles. Between these two events combined, there were more than 200,000 views from these entries in a few months.

Moleskine Foundation only works with local partners who know the lay of the land and can effectively host events, like Harambee, a youth employment nonprofit. And right now, Sanneh is working hard to find multiple avenues to reach rural areas.

Sometimes, its a struggle, Sanneh admits, but compared to when we started, this is a great improvement. This is why we want to expand this program, and get more co-founding donors.

A new perception of creativity

Sanneh believes that these creativity tools can be used to get at some of Africas more intractable challenges, including housing, water sanitation and food security. But as veteran of this space, he also thinks some reframing could be useful.

International organizations always ask how they can fix problems. But they never really ask how they can support and develop talent. We are in this second business. I dont see a dichotomy. We live in a creativity era. Why should it be different for a young kid in Lagos? Sannah says.

Moleskine Foundation works on three levels, and its final frontier is working to transform the way creativity is perceived in society. The foundation created a publication called Folio and a podcast called Creativity Pioneers, in-depth conversations with leaders who use creativity to create social change. Harvard graduate Uzodinma Iweala, CEO of Africa Center in New York City, talks about building inclusive cultural institutions, and Raphael Chikukwa, executive director of the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, believes that every revolution starts from the revolution of the mind.

When I ask Sanneh if he believes this work could help westerners better understand Africa, he says he remains hopeful. But he also says hes not overly concerned by it, because you cant really change those who dont want to change.

African creators themselves are undergoing a new era of visibility around the world, including through Afrobeats music and so-called Nollywood (Nigerian Hollywood) films. Afrobeats artist Burna Boy took home a 2021 Grammy, and was also featured in video game sensation Grand Theft Auto Online.

Three decades ago, Ashoka made early waves in whats now the established field of social entrepreneurship. If successful, Sanneh thinks Moleskine Foundation can follow the same trajectory as a pioneer in the space of creativity for social change. We now know how to attract resources, to nurture talent, to bring solutions, and serve millions of people.

View original post here:
A Foundation Takes on Wikipedia's Africa Gap, While Backing Young Creatives on the Continent Inside Philanthropy - Inside Philanthropy

News

Albertas Ministry of Education is facing accusations of plagiarism

by PressProgress

March 31, 2021

Did Jason Kenneys new Grade 2 social studies curriculum plagiarize Wikipedia?

Albertas Ministry of Education released its draft K-6 curriculum this week and educators already have some feedback for Alberta Premier Jason Kenney and Education Minister Adriana LaGrange.

In addition to recommending lesson plans about Kenneys grandfather, the provinces new social studies curriculum has raised eyebrows with questionable history lessons and content that is too advanced for ordinary six-year-olds.

But it now appears a section of the Grade 2 curriculum exploring the rise and fall of the Mongol Empire and 13th century mercantile trade may have been lifted directly from a Wikipedia article.

The Grade 2 geography curriculum features a special focus on the earliest civilizations of the Middle East, Europe and Asia, a learning journey that will take Alberta seven-year-olds from ancient Greece and the travels of Marco Polo.

It even includes a section on the ancient Silk Road trade route, but as Twitter user Tamara MacDonald noted Wednesday, the curriculums language appears to be sourced nearly word-for-word from Wikipedia :

Ministry of Education; Wikipedia

The Wikipedia entrys history shows the section of text was not recently edited and the same text appeared well before the draft curriculum was released this week.

Justin Marshall, a spokesperson for Albertas Ministry of Education, did not respond to questions from PressProgress about whether the lines were plagiarized.

The Government of Alberta identifies Chris Champion and Paul Bennett as the curriculums two advisors specializing in social studies.

Champion isa long-time political adviser to Kenney who previously helped design the Harper governments controversial citizenship guide.

Controversy erupted when Champion was appointed last summer after his writings on First Nations history drew criticism from Indigenous educators. Kenneys draft curriculum has been criticized forwhite-washing Canadian history, particularly as it relates to Indigenous historyandBritish imperialism.

The panel overseeing the curriculum rewrite was announced in September 2019 and included an American researcher linked to a right-wing, Koch-funded organization aimed at undermining the public school system.

Help us protect Canadians by holding the powerful accountable.

Journalism is an important public service. Thats why PressProgress is prioritizing stories aimed at keeping Canadians safe and holding the powerful accountable during the coronavirus pandemic.

Please consider supporting our award-winning non-profit news organization so we can keep making a positive impact for Canadians.

Read more here:
Jason Kenney's New Education Curriculum Appears to Have Copy-Pasted Lines From Wikipedia - PressProgress

CAIRO (AP) Forces in western Libya on Wednesday released more than 100 prisoners who had been captured while fighting under the banner of the country's eastern-based commander, in a gesture of reconciliation following recent accords, officials said.

The fighters, troops of commander Khalifa Hifter, were freed in the coastal town of Zawiya in a televised ceremony attended by senior officials from the newly appointed transitional government.

Mohammad Younes Menfi, head of the presidential council, called the move a significant step toward a national reconciliation initiative launched by the council, after bitter years of fighting between rival governments in East and West.

Those released were seen wearing traditional white uniforms and caps at the ceremony in a soccer stadium, before rejoining their families.

Musa al-Koni, deputy head of the presidential council, called for the release of all of Libya's war prisoners.

Hifters forces launched an offensive in April 2019 to try and capture Tripoli, but the campaign collapsed last June.

The warring sides reached a cease-fire deal in October that virtually ended the war and paved the road for U.N.-led political talks. Those talks then led to the appointment of an interim government in February, ahead of elections later this year.

Oil-rich Libya plunged into chaos after a 2011 NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. The country for years has been divided between two governments, one in the east and another in the west, each backed by a vast array of militias as well as foreign powers.

Read the original here:
Libya officials say over 100 eastern war prisoners released

The family of a British-based photographer killed in 2011 by pro-Gaddafi forces during the Arab spring have launched a campaign to pressure Libya to investigate his death.

Anton Hammerl, 41, was shot after being targeted as part of a small group of journalists, including the US reporter James Foley who himself was subsequently kidnapped and murdered by Islamic State in Syria.

Left for dead in the desert after Foley and fellow journalists Clare Morgana Gillis and Manu Brabo were captured, Hammerls body has never been recovered.

The case was briefly investigated as a war crime by the international criminal court, but it was dropped after the death of Muammar Gaddafi and the fall of his regime.

The lack of a body has meant no inquest into Hammerls death has taken place in the UK, where the father of two, a joint South African-Austrian citizen, lived with his family.

After years of chaos and conflict in Libya, the family hope the new interim government will be able to help them locate his body.

The family are being represented by Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC, who has been heavily involved in the push to secure justice for the murdered Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, and they are also being supported by Foleys mother, Diane.

With the 10th anniversary of his killing on Monday, the family plan to take the case to the UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and the UN working group on forced disappearances.

On the face of it we believe there is reasonable evidence to believe that Antons death was a war crime, said Gallagher, who added that research into Hammerls death that James Foley had been working on at the time of his own murder had been supplied to the campaign.

This wasnt journalists just caught in a crossfire. They were identifiable as civilians and journalists when they were targeted and Anton was killed during an enforced abduction. She added that in the intervening period the international community has treated his death with a shrug of the shoulders.

Hammerl was among a number of journalists killed during the chaos of the Arab spring and its long aftermath not least in Syria including Marie Colvin of the Sunday Times, the Sky News cameraman Mick Deane, Foley himself, and the photojournalists Chris Hondros and Tim Hetherington.

Hammerl had been covering the conflict between pro-regime and anti-Gaddafi forces when the group he was with came under fire from Libyan soldiers in a remote desert location near Brega on 5 April 2011.

Initially the family were led to believe by Libyan officials that all four journalists had been captured, and it was only six and a half weeks later when the survivors were released that it was revealed Hammerl had been killed and his body left in the desert.

Since his death, there has been sporadic and vague information about the location of his body, with a suggestion in 2012 that a body matching his description had been found in a mass grave of 170 people and DNA samples had been taken but never delivered for processing.

His wife, Penny Sukhraj-Hammerl, who had just given birth to the couples second child when Hammerl was killed, hopes the new government in Libya will finally take action to help find Hammerls body and explain his death.

Its been hard, a very hard 10 years for the family but its our hope after all these years there might be a different flavour in the air, a different calibre of leadership that may consider things in a different way.

So were hopeful. They have things at their disposal they should have been able to use if they would consider what weve been through. Because weve not even had a body. To think you knew someone who you had heard their voice the day before, and suddenly theyve vanished. Theres always a real hole.

Read the original here:
Family of photographer urge Libya to investigate his death - The Guardian

Five people have died and more than 500 have been returned to Libya in separate incidents in the central Mediterranean in the space of two days.

In the latest shipwreck in the Mediterranean Sea involving migrants headed to Europe, two women and three children reportedly drowned when a boat carrying dozens of people capsized off the Libyan coast, a UN official told the Associated Press (AP) news agency on Wednesday (March 31).

Safa Msehli, spokesperson for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), said the incident took place late Tuesday. A fishing boat and Libya's coast guard managed to rescue around 77 migrants and returned them to Libya, she said.

According to IOM's Msehli, "a total of 400 migrants were intercepted and returned to Libya late Tuesday and taken to detention centers," AP reported. Over the weekend, Libya's coast guard had already intercepted nearly 1,000 migrants and brought them back to Libya.

Tuesday's deadly shipwreck was the latest along the central Mediterranean migration route. According to the IOM, 232 migrants died in the central Mediterranean between January 1 and April 1 this year, up from 137 in the same period in 2020.

A day later, on Wednesday (March 31), Libya's coast guard intercepted an inflatable boat carrying 138 Europe-bound migrants off the country's northwestern coast, the country's navy said. More than half of the migrants were from Sudan, while the rest were from other African countries, the navy added.

According to the AFP news agency, among the group were nine women and three children. The whole group was taken to a naval base in the capital Tripoli on Libya's northwestern coast.

Over the past decade, Libya has become a main transit point for migrants fleeing war and poverty in Africa and the Middle East. The oil-rich country of some seven million people plunged into chaos following a NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed longtime ruler Moammar Gadhafi in 2011.

People smugglers have thrived in the subsequent lawlessness, often packing desperate families into overcrowded and unsafe rubber boats that capsize along the dangerous sea route across the central Mediterranean to Europe. Over the last several years, hundreds of thousands of migrants have reached Europe either on their own or after being rescued at sea.

Despite the dangers -- more than 17,000 people have drowned along the way in the central Mediterranean since 2014 --, the number of migrants risking the Mediterranean crossing to Europe has been rising lately: 6,669 people reached Italian shores by boat since the beginning of the year, 2.5 times as many as in the same period last year, according to Italian interior ministry data. More than half of all arrivals said their country of origin was Ivory Coast, Tunisia, Guinea, Bangladesh or Sudan.

Others are intercepted and forcibly returned by the country's coast guard, whereupon they are often left at the mercy of armed groups or confined in squalid detention centers without adequate food and water, rights groups say.

An AP investigation in 2019 found that "militias in Libya tortured, extorted and otherwise abused migrants for ransoms in detention centers under the nose of the UN, often in compounds that receive millions in European money, paid to Libya's government to slow the tide of migrants crossing the Mediterranean."

Over the past years, the European Union has partnered with Libya to prevent migrants from making the journey by sea to Europe. Among other things, it has been training and funding Libya's controversial coast guard, despite a record of abuses, to prevent migrants from reaching European soil.

Meanwhile, distress hotline Alarm Phone reported early Wednesday morning that around 80 people in distress on a rubber off Malta boat contacted them. At the time of publication early Wednesday afternoon, no rescue had been confirmed.

With AFP, AP

More:
Mediterranean: Five migrants dead, hundreds returned to Libya - InfoMigrants