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BCN Antirumors Strategy

Integrating Cities Tampere

Workshop 9 Changing perceptions of migration and diversity (ImpleMentoring)

September 10th 2013 by Ramon Sanahuja

Immigration and intercultrality directorAjuntament de Barcelona

rsanahuja@bcn.cat

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BARCELONA: Capital of Catalonia. Site of The Union for The Mediterranean.

City Population: 1,65 million. Metropolitan area of 4 million

Foreign population: 280.047 (2013) 17,4% . 23% (with foreign background)

Official Language: Catalan and Spanish

International migration is very recent in the last 12 years. Flow has stopped in the last two years because economic situation

Ranking of foreign nationalities (2013):

1. Pakistan 24.256 2. Italy 21.637 3. China 16.128 4. Equator 13.6885. Bolivia 13.463 6. Morocco 13.214

Context of Economic crisis and Budget cuts Unemployment rate:

18%(2012), 6%(2007). 35% (among migrants)

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Our framework: Barcelona Intercultural Plan

Main Objective:

Define an strategy for the city of Barcelona in order to tackle the challenge of Diversity from an intercultural point of view.

Main goal is to foster interaction between individuals.

Barcelona a city, an scenario, where interaction is more likeable to happen.

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Consultation process to NGO, experts, institutions: 5 questions were asked: • What factors hamper/facilitate relations of

“convivencia” between inhabitants of Barcelona who come from different cultural origins?

» 48,1% of people answered that there were Subjective-relational factors such as stereotypes, rumors, prejudice.

» Tackle the problem of rumors it was a demand of the NGOs that work at street level.

We decide to include an strategic line:

Line 8 Rumors and stereotypes: from the stereotype to the knowledge

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Why is important an strategy against Rumors?

1. Rumors are not innocent and neutral : they provoke discrimination, injustice, eventually social violence

2. Rumors seek to break confidence and bridging capital (Putnam) between people and communities: Rumors generate fear,...provoke isolation of people and communities.

3. Rumors create suspicions, false ideas and resentment.

4. In the long term: “living together with” (Convivencia) is more difficult, and rejection to different people is stronger, specially in times of economic turmoil

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Who do we address the strategy to?

1. The Target is all citizens of Barcelona who can spread rumors. Regular people who as not a critical opinion about “mainstream rumors” at street level.

2. Migrant groups as well has prejudices regarding other migrants or event the host society

3. Sub- target groups:

- Youngsters, elderly, health system workers, teachers, shop tenders,…

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Who communicates the strategy?

1. Public administrations have little credibility in order to fight rumors.

2. We must involve NGO’s3. Local leaders at neighborhood level

with credibility in a face to face communication

4. Famous people , “communicators” and mass media as well.

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How do we do it?

I. BCN Antirumor network

II. Materials and Resources

III. Action with the media

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I. BCN Antirumor Network

More than 220 association , institutions had joined the network under the city hall leadership. Capillarity of the strategy

All kind of associations (schools,, neighborhood, retailer shops associations, migrants associations, health professionals...)

There are several working groups

March 2012 Conference of NGOs involved in defining the strategy: July 2012 Action PlanTraining of the antirumor Agents (+500 agents):

• They are volunteer Agents• Objective: offer tools , information to foster dialogue

with people in order to combat rumors about cultural diversity

• Free training of 12 hours• Very different profile of agents: NGOs, journalists,

doctors, teachers, ...

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II. Materials and resources:

1. Manual to combat rumors2. Comics and brochure3. Training4. Practical guide for the antirumor

agent5. Videos6. Web7. Activities “a la carte” (theatre,

debates, public space happenings, workshops...) and Grants for NGOs

8. MOU with Regional and county Government

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1. Manual : we have identified 11 basic rumors:

Rumor 1: Invasion: “They are invading us”Rumor 2: Welfare state. “They monopolize social aid”Rumor 3 : Taxes: “Foreigner do not pay taxes” Rumor 4 : Shops and retail: “They get free grants to open new

shops” “ they do not respect opening and closing time”Rumor 5 : Health system . “Migrants abuse of our public health

and they collapse ER services”Rumor 6 : Identity “we are loosing our identity””Rumor 7: Rules of behavior: “migrants and foreigners do not

behave properly” Rumor 8: Housing: “migrants like to live many together and

make the value of real state decrease” Rumor 9: Education; “Migrants students lower the level of

public schools” Rumor 10: work and education “ Migrants do not have proper

education” Rumor 11: Integration: “They don’t want to integrate”

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2. Comics “Blanca, Rosita Barcelona”by Miguel Gallardo. and Brochure “Pocket rumors”

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4. Antirumor Agent practical GuideIndividual Capacity building , based on promoting dialogue

2.397 downloaded form the web and 2.000 edited in paper.

3. Training of the antirumor Agents (+550 agents trained)

5. Videos: youtube channel and viral power point:

5. http://www.youtube.com/user/bcnantirumors

6. Web and social network:- www.bcnantirumors.cat- Facebook, tweeter,…

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7. Activity antirumor “Catalogue”: “a la carte”

Different activities that we offer through the network of NG0s for raising awareness financed with a budget of 150.000 euros. approximately

- Social theatre / Social Forum- Happenings at public spaces such as

markets with artist- Debates- Conferences- Antirumor training for specific targets- workshops for youth, schools, elder

people... 

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8. MOU with Regional and county administrations (Generalitat and Diputació) to create synergies and spread the strategy and material to all Catalonia. Future Projects.

- Take advantage of communication media of the Region and County

- Training elected council member of municipalities (County)

- Distribution of material created in Barcelona to all other municipalities and NGO’s.

- Open our antirumors training to NGOs and officials outside of Barcelona

- Agreement to develop an TV program on Catalan Channel (Leader channel)

- Develop a joint thematic campaign (Health, shops…)

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III. Action with media:

- The strategy had attracted media

- Take in account local media and district and neighborhood media.

- Training for journalist and raising awareness among them

- Established an agreement with the Board of Journalist of Barcelona and with the Journalist labor union, and the Catalan Media Board.

- Need to involve known and famous figures

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Conclusions and Recommendations (I)

- Identify the nature of rumors in case there are in in your town. Every city has its specific rumors, they can differ.

- Rise complicity with NGO’s: build a network.

- Who communicates is a key question: need of Legitimacy and credibility of the communicators.

- Search for good and reliable sources of information, specially within the own public administration.

- Difficulties to obtain information from other departments: Work tranversality.

- Objective data is important, but also there is a need to appeal to feelings and emotions.

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Conclusions and Recommendations (II)

- Need of different strategies for different target groups

- Identify those media and journalist who can become potential allies

- Immigration is an issue that draws attention of the media: it is an opportunity to send positive messages

- The strategy must be coherent with the rest of programs and actions and political message of the Administration.

- Be open to debate all kind of issues related to migration: There is no need to avoid sensitive matters.

- Strategy only makes sense if basic equality programs guaranties equal opportunities (access to education, health system , job market…)