Strengthening Societal Resilience and Countering Foreign Perpetrated Disinformation in 6 Western Balkans Countries
Western Balkan countries were identified as the European countries that are, according to the 2019 Media Literacy Index, the most susceptible to disinformation. Eroding trust, associated with the growing polarization in society, stimulates lingering regional tensions and weakens the credibility of Euro-Atlantic integrations among the 6 Western Balkans countries (Albania, BiH, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia).
The project aims to enhance resilience and boost regional cooperation against disinformation and it will bring together representatives of government, civil society and media from all 6 Western Balkan countries and enable them to work together when encountering cases of foreign disinformation. All too often these groups are working separately from each other, yet all striving towards the same goal, which is to protect democratic institutions and diminish the space for disinformation.
The following challenges need to be addressed:
– The need to connect networks (civil society, media and government) on a national level in order to have a functioning national system for combating disinformation.
– Media representatives – especially journalists – should be more linked regionally, across Western Balkans.
– Given that the tactics and often-times narratives of disinformation are similar and get replicated across countries and regions, there is a need to share information, know-how and best practices across these countries.
Project duration: 18 months
More about project activities here (pdf file).
UPCOMING ACTIVITIES
2nd capacity-building training
From 6 to 8 June, representatives of Western Balkan Six governments, media, and civil society will gather in Portorož, Slovenia, to attend a capacity-building training for countering foreign perpetrated disinformation.
The training is conducted within the framework of the project “Strengthening Societal Resilience and Countering Foreign Perpetrated Disinformation in the Six Western Balkan countries”. It advances the theoretical groundwork of the regional conference held in November 2022, by equipping Participants with responsive techniques and tools required to timely and effectively detect and respond to disinformation.
Renowned experts in the field will train Participants in the following:
– Best practices in counter-disinformation methodologies;
– Response tactics in communications;
– Use of free OSINT tools in detecting and countering disinformation; and
– Use of computer-assisted tools in detecting and countering disinformation.
The training is expected to contribute to the overarching goal of boosting the whole-of-society resilience in the Western Balkans, guiding the countries towards the creation of effective national systems of defence against disinformation, and supporting regional cooperation.
New publication out!
We are happy to introduce the new CEP publication titled ‘Information war and fight for truth’, which is the result of cooperation between various stakeholders in the Western Balkans in the framework of the project “Strengthening societal resilience and countering foreign perpetrated disinformation in 6 Western Balkans countries”.
The publication seeks to provide insight into the situation in the Western Balkans and the harmful effects of foreign perpetrated disinformation.
IN COOPERATION WITH
