I was filled with a touch of optimisim last week at the One World Media week in London where it daunt on me how many activists and media professionals are actively engaged in the betterment of our world. Media students are encouraged and supported to cover underreported stories across the developing world and socially-conscious journalists are choosing to highlight stories of social, economical and humanitarian importance even if it doesn't put their name in the limelight. I felt very humbled to be amongst these people, who each had their own unique story to tell on how they played a small role in improving the conditions of our world. It might not seem like a big deal in the grand scheme of things if one covered how village women from Botswana were bringing economic change to their villages through selling handmade artefacts for example, but it takes one village to lead that change and set an example. It takes that one person to spark in others to take matters into their own hands when it comes to planting the seeds of their best potential.
The same phenomenon was rolled out by Tunisia which sparked the the Arab spring and led to the ousting of Egypt's Mubarak and is stil continuing today. When good people reach the end of their tether, it moves them to change the course of their faith and that of others with a remarkable sense of resilience. This is something we can all apply to our lives on a day to day basis by being aware of what's happening around us, pointing out the injustices taking place in our societies and being acutely aware of the right to lead the best lives we each seek and taking active steps towards the realisation of it.
I believe the media can play a big role in this aspect through providing the platform for those rights to be realised and most importantly to create awareness where people are being deprived of their god given right to succeed in life.
Long story short, I came back a happy person to know that there are many people in this wrold today concerned with the positive role the media can play in people's lives and with that thought, I rest assured.
