Inadequate healthcare; climate change; poverty; gender inequality; unemployment.
These are just a few of the issues regularly reported in the news, and rightfully so – these issues and more are deserving of the world’s attention.
But what if we shifted the narrative to feature solutions to these very real problems?
The Impact Hub partnered with Paris-based Sparknews on its 5th edition of Impact Journalism Day, a global initiative to showcase solutions to social problems worldwide. Highlighting these innovative solutions is an impactful solution in itself, inspiring people around the world to create their own solutions to global issues.
On Saturday, June 24th, 50 of the most distinguished media outlets including Tribune de Genève (Switzerland), USA Today (USA), Asahi Shimbun (Japan), Le Figaro (France), AJ+ (International), The Hindu (India), City Press (South Africa), Folha de Sao Paulo (Brazil), etc.) published 60 uplifting articles featuring solutions to help solve the most pressing social and environmental issues of the 21st century. Impact Hub Geneva, along with Impact Hubs located in San Francisco, Lagos, Madrid, Manila, Sao Paulo, Singapore and Zurich, hosted special events on or near Impact Journalism Day to spread the word about this necessary initiative.
On Friday, June 23rd, Impact Hub Geneva members came together with David Haeberli, an editor at Tribune de Genève, to spark discussion and a strong push towards positivity in the media, as well as how we can participate in future Impact Journalism Day events. For one hour, we were able to come together to discuss the challenges changemakers face in the media, the challenges outlets face, as well as how we can work more closely with each other to promote positive stories.
Inspired by Sparknews’ efforts behind Impact Journalism Day, we are excited to join the wave of positivity. Participants suggested many event types for next year including panel discussions, presentations and workshops, so, during the course of the next year, leading up to the next Impact Journalism Day, we will determine which type of event will create an impact and share how to participate in this initiative. With the enthusiasm generated at last Friday’s meeting, we are also looking forward to working more closely with our local media outlets to feature more solution-oriented stories in the media. Tribune de Genève has already committed to featuring at least one changemaker or impact-driven project on Fridays each week and we are enthusiastic about working with them in the future to tell more of those stories.
Do you believe that changing the way we talk about the world is the first step in building a better one? Join Muhammad Yunus, Reza, Mary Robinson, Yann Arthus-Bertrand, Jacques Attali, Laurence Tubiana, Anne Hidalgo, Elyx (UN digital ambassador for the global goals), and many more by signing the Impact Journalism Day manifesto.
Solutions are all around us, from the small village in Morocco to cosmopolitan cities like London. Be sure to check out Sparknews’ list of Impact Journalism Day media partners to learn how ordinary people are changing the world by creating extraordinary positive change. Then, help these stories cross borders and have a greater impact by sharing the good news using #StoryOfChange and #ImpactJournalism Day.