EU Strategic Communications: Counteraction to Distructive Influences
Short description:
The aim of the project is to deliver advanced and critical knowledge about the process of elaboration and implementation of the EU strategic communications in order to create and promote the positive perception of the Union, its foreign and security policy, to refute destabilizing messages and to counteract external destructive influences. This Module is planned to consider such topics as EU approaches to strategic communications, public diplomacy and the EU soft power, EU values promotion and counteraction to extremism, EU public sphere and relations with mass media, media literacy, strategic communications to support cooperation with the NATO and the Eastern Partnership states; the EU practice of counteraction to hybrid threats and to information and psychological influences; analysis of the RF/ISIL propaganda narratives; refuting disinformation, fakes, leaks; exposing bots, agents of influence; EU fight against information/cyber terrorism; EU cyber security legislation and practice etc. The activity includes lectures, workshops, conferences, round-tables, media coverage. Target groups: 1) students and post-graduate students (20 each year); 2) teachers, researchers, civil servants, civil society representatives, media workers (20 each year). In overall, the project will increase the awareness of the EU activity to prevent and counteract destructive influences aimed at undermining European values, democracy and human rights. The project issues will help develop conscious, knowledgeable citizens of Ukraine, who share common European values and democratic principles, positively assess the EU and Eurointegration process and seek to live in a European state rather than in a satellite of the Russian Federation. Сivil servants, civil society representatives, media workers, teachers will use the received knowledge and skills in their professional as well as in everyday activity. Both experts and then target groups perform the role of the EU public diplomacy agents.