Association „Balta maja”
26th March 2015
The Event for NGO Activists “Man in the Digital World: Opportunities and Challenges” has been Successfully Carried out
The project’s “Support for Association’s “Balta maja” Work in Strengthening Participatory Democracy in Latgale Region” (project’s contract No.: 2012.EEZ/DAP/MAC/152) implementation continues. The project was undertaken in July 2013 and will continue until 31st December 2015.The project’s implementation provides regular support to the association and strengthens the knowledge of its staff. The project is supported by the European Economic area financial mechanism 2009- 2014 period program’s “NGO fond” sub-programme “Programme of Support for the Activities of Non-governmental Organisations”.
The month of March has passed very quickly; one activity was followed by another one, a variety of thematic events took place, the handicraft exhibition was prepared, interest clubs continued their work. It seems that the approaching spring breeze positively influences the hustle and bustle of our visitors.
Nevertheless, the majority considers that the major benefit of March was the meeting with Aija Trūna, education project manager, Ltd “Knowledge Creation Lab” member who shared her knowledge and reflections on 17th March in the informative event in Livani district’s NGO “Man in the Digital World: Opportunities and Challenges”.
In the introduction the project manager Inguna Baduna informed the participants about the plans for the third, final year of the project’s implementation and spoke about the activities in the near future. The informative event was attended by many people, including teachers, young people and Livani active seniors.
During the presentation everyone got valuable and useful insights for daily processing of information that were focused on qualitative and creative process of analysis and thinking.
A very important issue for everyone about the implementation and maintenance of critical thinking in our scheme of information perception was actualized. A meaningful, clear vision of life and self-realization are based in it. Quite often it is beneficial for some structure of interests to increase the number of fearful, dependent, unconfident and insecure individuals with whom it is easier to carry out any manipulation or the mass mind control. Actually, the fact is that it takes place everywhere. Therefore, it is worth thinking and considering it once more.
As mentioned by the lecturer, frequently past experience or, for example, the innovations of neighbouring countries for solving issues don’t work in other countries. The reason for this is that in most cases the solution or formula is simply transferred to a radically different situation without examining the problem. Moreover, the answer is given before the question is asked.
The media activities were also observed and discussed, as often various media present different views about the same seemingly unambiguous question. Every time each one of us needs to think what kind of information awaits us in controversial, large-scale and ambiguous issues. It is worth again and again to ask questions starting with “why?”. In addition, we need to look for arguments to those beliefs which for unknown reasons are often considered to be the truth. It may be that so habitual, convenient truth is not the truth at all. This can be dealt with by verifying our own experience.
The expert Aija Trūna encouraged everyone to ask himself/herself the question: “Do we serve science, digital technology or does it serve us?” and “Where is our time, once we have so much science digital assistants, which should save us time?” This era is a miracle with its given possibility of development, the space and innovative freedom. We need to realise, accept our space ship, our inner driving force, see the star, prepare for the way and set off. The strongest does not survive, as someone had said it, but the one who is the most loving and is open to cooperation not competition survives. All the participants were actively involved in the discussion, they shared and analysed their experience, looked for advice so that future actions would be based on verified facts and they would be useful for personal development.
At the end of the event Aina Trūna suggested to the participants: „If the winds of change can be felt in the air, no matter how unusual or frightening it might be at the beginning, instead of building a leeward wall we should build windmills- don’t leave your dreams behind high walls, but open them to the wide and supportive sky.” The association’s “Balta maja” people join the above mentioned good wishes and encourage continuing to wait for spring as actively as before. Happy Easter!
More information
phone: 65381707
email: baltamaja@baltamaja.lv
The program is funded by the EEZ Grants and Latvian State
Supported by a grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway
This publication has been prepared by the EEA Financial Mechanism and Latvian State financial support. For the content of this publication responsible is association „Balta Maja”.