Good News Agency Goes to Schools
an article by Sergio Tripi

[Editor's notes: The following is taken from an interview by CPNN with Sergio Tripi, the founder of the Good News Agency (GNA), an Internet service that provides brief descriptions and links to news about positive and constructive enterprises around the world.]

When I launched GNA in June 2000, the main targets were the media and the NGOs. Two years later I realized that I was not covering a very important group: the young. Being a Rotarian myself, I offered the Rotary clubs in Italy this service opportunity and, year after year, many of them introduced GNA to the high schools of their territory. The follow up is very simple: they send me the name and e-mail address of the ‘recruited’ school which, from that moment on, receives GNA on a regular basis. A brief history is on the Internet. Presently, of a total of 500 schools that regularly receive GNA, 130 were ‘recruited’ by Rotary clubs, and we are striving to have this project launched in other countries as well.

Professors and students are very appreciative of the constructive evidence that this press agency highlights and they make a subject of discussion and research out of it. Some schools develop theme events – for example, 19 schools in Sardinia decided this year to participate in the context launched by the Rotary Club Cagliari in synergy with GNA on the theme of the 60th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights, and a school in Cagliari has spontaneously developed an editorial group of students who create and read their own bulletin at two private local radio stations.

Each person who cares for the development of a culture of peace can take GNA to the schools, knowing that, further to his/her voluntary participation, GNA will reach each ‘recruited’ school regularly and at no cost. The first step is usually to introduce GNA to a professor and to make leverage on the constructive evidence that positive information has on people, mainly young people. CPNN readers certainly have the right inclination to participate in this campaign or to develop their own initiatives, just like the radio editorial group of the Cagliari school that broadcasts GNA from a local radio station.

To persuade the media to give voice also to those events which indicate in the world the response of humanity to the most pressing problems of our times is a responsibility which the media can no longer put off, so that public opinion may be formed on a cross section of information which corresponds to all aspects of the reality in which we live. You are invited to endorse the Ethical Code of the Media, that is available in nine languages. The Code has been endorsed so far by over 130 groups and important personalities in several countries.

DISCUSSION

Question(s) related to this article:

How can we get informed about what is really happening in the world?


As a reader, you are invited to join in the discussion of this article based on any of the above question(s): just click on the question, read the previous comments and add a new reply. You may also enter a new discussion topic on this article - see bottom of this page.

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GLOBAL MOVEMENT FOR A CULTURE OF PEACE

Latest reader comment:

I suggest two sources of information about what is really happening the world: WAMC 90.3 FM in Hartford. Alternative Radio is an excellent source, s is WWUH 91.3. WHUS carris Amy Goodman of Democracy NOw.

The reason for being of the mainstream media is to sell advertising. I respect someone like David Barsamian who supports his program by selling CD's.

This report was posted on October 20, 2008. The moderator is CPNN Administrator.

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