Civic Caravan Report: A civic engagement and media literacy journey across Romania

How do we explain to young people the important role of being informed plays in our democracy? It's one of the questions we often ask ourselves as activists and media educators, but the answer often emerges in our interactions with them, by constantly testing formats that respond to the needs they face. That's how we started the civic caravan: a civic and media education tour to more than 20 communities across the country. The initiative was put in motion in the run-up to the 2024 elections to test innovative formats and techniques to engage young people's interest in civic life and responsible online information. 

At Funky Citizens, we've been involved in promoting being civically fit for more than a decade. While active citizenship can take many forms, we've designed our own brand of civic engagement and education that covers both the basics and more in-depth approaches, such as the conversation around institutional transparency and fact-checking engagement in informed communities. 

In the context of 2024, Romania is at the highest risk of democratic backsliding since its NATO accession, with pro-Russia and anti-EU political forces on an upward trend. With people pointing at the government with the same problems for decades, such as the failing healthcare and education system or corruption, it is easy to understand why citizens have lost hope and become frustrated, more of them will turn to illiberal political options and others will abstain from voting. We believe it is vital to make civic engagement accessible to citizens by providing the tools that can bring about change in communities, and this year we have focused on the power of information to safeguard democracy. Rather, we aimed to train vigilant citizens, explaining not why it is important to vote, but if you do, why you should make an informed and conscious choice.

The Funky Caravan traveling the length and breadth of Romania

The timing of the civic tour was strategic: ahead of the local and European Parliament elections on June 9, when elections are at the top of the public agenda and everyone is talking about them, if not always, then at least more often. The Caravan went through more than 20 communities in Romania, involving citizens from areas with diverse local specificities: both urban and rural, as well as in different places: university centers, schools, cafes, city centers or even fortified churches. For two months, the events reached more than 2000 people, provoking debates on civism as an alternative dialog in an election year when politics prevails, as well as the verification of statements made by candidates and others by young people through well-developed methodologies. The project, designed to connect citizens with civic education, involved a variety of interventions aimed at empowering communities to actively participate in society and combat disinformation, especially in the context of the upcoming elections. Here are some of our interventions around the country:

Checkathons, the formula that has captivated young people's interest in fact-checking

The concept of a checkathon - fact-checking marathon emerged at Funky Citizens back in 2014, when our organization was running the first live fact-checking of the presidential debate in the second round. The initiative was received with great interest by Romanians, reaching record audiences of over a million people accessing real-time fact-checks made by experts and journalists. However, organizing a checkathon involves simple logistics: journalists or people specialized in different fields, equipped with laptops and Internet access, so why not replicate the model for future experts who can become the next generation of fact-checkers?

Fact-checking marathon at the "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" University of Iasi / Funky Citizens

We have started organizing a marathon of fact-checking marathons in the main university centres across the country. 7 universities, 7 fact-checking marathons attended by more than 350 students: these are the numbers of a pilot project that showed us that young people are more interested in media literacy if they are given an attractive formula to do so. The students, equipped with the websites of official institutions and training on the methodology used at Factual, took the statements of politicians asking for their votes and gave the final verdict on their honesty with voters. 

In addition to the visible interest of the young people in the marathon, the students showed their professionalism and the quality of the material, applying the theory studied in journalism, political science, law or public administration to produce qualitative analysis of the information and statistics provided by politicians. In contrast to general media literacy courses, fact-checking brings a special dynamic and provides the participant with a context in which they can allocate the necessary time to think critically, analyze the information and consult all the sources that will eventually give them the conclusion of veracity. Even if we often don't have the time at hand to thoroughly fact-check the information we interact with, fact-checking in an organized form is a healthy exercise for our online diet, which can eventually become a habit of responsible social media consumption.

Exhibition "Fake News. Following the lies."

The exhibition "Fake News. Following the lies" in Cluj-Napoca

Funky Citizens / Gabriel Neacșu

"Fake News. Following the lies." aims to reveal the hidden structures of disinformation that influence democratic processes, especially in the context of the Romanian elections in 2024. Designed to be both informative and interactive, the exhibition offers visitors hands-on experiences with the tools and techniques needed to detect and combat fake news. Through case studies and simulations, it exposes how disinformation infiltrates digital spaces and impacts real-world social and political structures.

Structured into six thematic areas, the exhibition addresses topics such as the basic concepts of disinformation, the impact of advanced technologies such as deepfake, the effects of information echo chambers, and case studies relevant both globally and in the Romanian context. An interactive area allows visitors to experience creating deepfakes with their own image in less than a minute, highlighting the speed at which fake content can spread. In addition, the exhibition includes an area dedicated to exploring Revolution-era disinformation, providing a historical perspective on how false information influenced events in the country's recent history.

The exhibition "Fake News. Following the  lies." exhibited at the Timișoara Biennale of Architecture / Marius Vasile

The initial phase of the exhibition reached over 800 visitors from three cities across the country. The exhibition is currently open in Timisoara, where it has already attracted over 3000 visitors, demonstrating the growing public interest in this crucial topic in the digital information age.

Media literacy workshops 

The media literacy interventions continued with workshops in Bistrița and Cincu, where we talked to children and high school students about the effects of artificial intelligence and deep-fake, exploring the tools to combat disinformation that help us navigate the media landscape every day. We tested two models of interacting with young people: in Bistrița, we went into the academic environment and youth classes, and in Cincu, we used a makeshift room of a fortified village church, talking to the young people of the community about how they can protect those around them who are vulnerable to misinformation. 

Atelier de educație media în Bistrița / Funky Citizens

Civic Cafés - community dialogues on the future of Romania

With over 100 participants, our civic cafes served as informal community dialogues where citizens discussed the future of Romania in a relaxed environment. These meetings gave community members the opportunity to express their concerns, hopes and expectations while exploring ways to play a more active role in society. The open, conversational format encouraged meaningful exchanges about civic engagement and the role of media education in shaping public opinion. 

Strategic communication training for young activists and NGOs 

More than 40 organizations took part in these trainings, which aimed to strengthen strategic communication for young activists and NGOs. This intervention included a camp aimed at bridging the generation gap between experienced activists and newcomers by promoting intergenerational knowledge sharing. Discussions focused on digital literacy and the influence of a youth-friendly media space on civic education. Young people took the lead in explaining how civic education plays out in their media-saturated environments, ensuring that future civic leaders are prepared to effectively navigate the digital space. 

The next four years - the real spark of civic engagement in Romania

As Romania approaches the final five rounds of elections in 2024, the importance of media literacy and fact-checking cannot be overstated. Our civic caravan has laid the foundation for continued engagement and education across the country. The connections made, skills created and awareness raised during this initiative will contribute to a more informed citizenry better equipped to navigate the complex information landscape of our digital age. 

Through efforts like the fact-checking marathons and the Fake News exhibition, we are not only educating, but building a network of informed citizens and future fact-checkers who will play a crucial role in maintaining the integrity of public discourse in Romania.