Kuala Lumpur, 21 March 2021 – In conjunction with International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination today, IDEAS has launched Kita, Bukan Kami, a media campaign to promote equality and inclusivity through the art of empathetic conversations.
The campaign website and anti-racism pledge were launched today, alongside a unique social experiment video series called Sama-Sama, produced by impact media expert The Fourth. The series aims to promote and model empathetic conversations as an alternative to the toxic screaming matches often seen in conversations about divisive issues today.
Sama-Sama videos gathered two groups of strangers with opposing views to look for a common ground using three simple rules for empathetic conversations.
In the first episode, the strangers discuss whether race requirements on job and property advertisements should be considered racist and how they achieve a surprisingly amicable conclusion. Catch the video on the Kita, Bukan Kami website and Facebook page.
“Discrimination of any kind, be it on the basis of race, religion, gender and others, always stems from a lack of understanding of the perceived ‘other’, which then leads to suspicion and fear. It is this barrier of fear that we need to overcome,” said Tricia Yeoh, CEO of IDEAS.
“The Kita, Bukan Kami movement is a positive step towards creating safe spaces where race relations can be discussed in a healthy manner. People might disagree with each other, but accepting differences and learning from each other is an integral part of overcoming fear”, she said.
As part of the campaign, IDEAS and The Fourth will also be releasing Perinci, an in-depth explainer video series exploring the fascinating history, science and psychology behind racial discrimination as well as other forms of bigotry and inequality.
Members of the public can support the campaign by sharing the Sama-Sama and Perinci videos on social media and by signing the Kita, Bukan Kami anti-racism pledge on the website.
The public can also register with The Fourth to participate in an upcoming Sama-Sama session by sending a message to the Sama-Sama Project Facebook page or Instagram account.
The Kita, Bukan Kami campaign is part of a larger project to promote National Unity and Inter-Racial Harmony, supported by the European Union. “The European Union is proud to support IDEAS in promoting national unity and inter-racial harmony through our European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) programme. The campaign launched today will contribute towards Malaysia’s journey to becoming a more inclusive nation that celebrates its diversity. The EU remains committed to every effort that reduces discrimination and inequality around the world, in line with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number 10 – reduced inequalities”, comments His Excellency Michalis Rokas, Ambassador of the European Union to Malaysia.
Watch the first Sama-Sama video, Adakah kriteria bangsa dalam iklan kerja rasis? here.
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About Kita, Bukan Kami:
Kita, Bukan Kami is a social movement founded by The Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) and impact media expert The Fourth. It is supported by the European Union.
About The Fourth:
The Fourth is an independent impact media company, consisting of award-winning investigative journalists who specialise in using multimedia documentaries and impact campaigns to champion social justice causes. Aside from its original investigative and impact content, The Fourth also provides impact media consultancy, education, and professional training for organisations that are looking to increase their social impact.
For more information, go to facebook.com/TheFourth.
For enquiries, please contact:
Aira Azhari, Manager, Democracy and Governance Unit, IDEAS+603 2070 8881/8882, aira@ideas.org.my
Ian Yee, Co-founder, Fourth Media
+6012-2121421, people@thefourth.media