The words of migration. What do young people think?

Behind video capsules, a collective process of appropriation and awareness of the media treatment of asylum.

From October 23 to 27, 2023, three video capsules branded The Words of Migration have been published on social media. Three young people from the Aimée-Stitelmann ECG question the media's coverage of migration, its omnipresence, and the weight of the words used. Necessarily short to facilitate their diffusion on Instagram, these clips are more like invitations, by young people for young people, not to take what circulates on social media at face value, to question headlines, figures, and vocabulary, and to stay informed.

This project is the result of a collaboration between Vivre Ensemble and the group La Voix de la Diversité (LVD) and is part of a media literacy approach. ^[1]Supported by the Office for the Integration of Foreigners and Citizenship of the Canton of Geneva and the Fondia foundation. The Vivre Ensemble team proposed a training day for the young people of La VoiDiversity x, and then support enabling them to lead a workshop within two classes at the Geneva institution. LVD reappropriated the material to propose «reels» on Instagram and Facebook in the spring of 2023. Beyond these outcomes, the entire internal process was an enrichment for the young people, as Vjosa Gërvalla, a journalist at Albinfo and initiator of LVD, and Dritë Asllani, coordinator of this group, tell us.

Vjosa, you were behind the idea for this collaboration to talk about media coverage of migration. What was the goal of the project for you?

Vjosa: Words are far more than linguistic tools; they are architects of our reality, shaping our perception of the world. People from migrant backgrounds, confronted daily with a cascade of words often defining them simplistically, positively or negatively, are particularly sensitive to this power. For me, the ultimate goal

The project's aim was to highlight the non-innocuousness of vocabulary and to emphasize its considerable weight in our society.

It was crucial to remember that words can be levers, sometimes positive, sometimes negative. Learning to question them, to explore their context, their meaning, their message thus becomes vital for each of us. The collaboration with "Vivre Ensemble" offered a wonderful opportunity for the group of young people to work, reflect, and learn to communicate their concerns related to this chapter. Far more than just a linguistic exercise, it was a profound exploration of how terminology shapes our understanding of the world and ourselves.

How was it a success? Any regrets?

Vjosa: Collaboration allowed young people to express and target their feelings about certain press articles, giving a name to emotions that were previously difficult to identify. Working with Vivre Ensemble supported the group's reflective journey, going beyond simple critical development in reading articles to cultivate sensitivity to media messages and intentions.

My regret today is that such a nuanced exercise requires more time to grasp the subtleties of language and integrate its full complexity. Despite this, success lies in the journey, in the awareness of young people regarding the power of words and their impact on collective perception.

Dritë, you've been a member of LVD since you were 15. You've been very involved in this project: you led the in-class workshop with Arblinda, and then the creation of reels and videos. What motivated you about this theme?

LightMy involvement is related to the reasons for my commitment to La Voice of Diversity. As you mentioned, I joined the group at a very young age because I wanted to meet other young people from diverse backgrounds who, like me, wished for everyone to feel legitimate in expressing their voice within society. The group's dynamic led us to share our stories. Listening to the accounts of those who came from afar touched me deeply. I myself arrived in Switzerland with my parents when I was young.

From my account and the experiences of my friends in the group, the theme of «words of migration» immediately interested me. I wanted to get involved in order to clear up misunderstandings about people with migration backgrounds.

For me, it's essential that young people are made aware of media influence and can develop critical thinking, as migration is part of the stories of many people around us. We all cross paths with a migrant during our lives.

Understanding the impact of words and their hidden meanings, developing critical thinking, and understanding migration and its consequences are the objectives I wanted to achieve with this project, which represents a piece of me, my friends, and our values!

What did you learn from our workshops and this challenge of applying it in class?

I mainly took away the importance of questioning what we read and hear in the media, press, audiovisual, etc., and of informing ourselves about the stated themes. In our workshops, the theme was migration, as it is the common thread between our La Voix de la Diversité group and your Vivre Ensemble association. Learning a lexicon related to migration, identifying rhetoric (invasion, criminality, etc.), questioning figures, and using correct terminology were the stages of our reflective process to achieve a critical reading of information related to this topic.

How did you feel about these young people, who are only one or two years younger than you?

Applying this knowledge has greatly contributed to my skills. It has above all instilled in me the desire to pursue projects that are meaningful for young people and encourage diversity. As for leading the workshop for young people my age, it was an intriguing and enriching experience. My doubts about my relevance as a ’facilitator« quickly faded when I observed that the young people paid particular attention to the theme and appreciated our presentation dynamic.

I was able to talk with these young people, and they shared with me that they were sensitive to the words used to describe people from migration backgrounds. So, this is a successful project for us, and also for the young people, who were happy and interested in our visit!

What do you want to say to young people following the latest federal votes?

Politics has the power to mobilize young people as well as to provoke strong disinterest. I would like to say to those who sometimes feel on the fringes of politics that there are various ways to express themselves, to voice their opinions, and to assert their legitimacy within our society, and that these voices also constitute an important part of our democracy.

My experience with La Voix de la Diversité has been enriching, a discovery, and above all, a life school. For these reasons, I strongly encourage every young person to experience the associative world and to get involved in a group, council, collective, or other organization that embodies values and ambitions that resonate with them!

Civic engagement is a valuable political act for our democracy.

Interview by Sophie Malka