For us at C4C, our very reason for existence is to inspire and empower young people everywhere, through the effective use of communication technologies. Never has the world seen a greater plethora of these technologies. Never have advances in their development and use been so great and rapid. Never have we been confronted with a more exciting reality than the fact that the greatest experts and most avid users of these communication technologies are actually the young themselves, especially with regard to the use of the social media platforms.
Source: www.center.upeace.org
Young people are communicating with one another on a daily basis as never before. They are able to be the recipients and providers of information as never before. As a result they have previously unimagined capacities and indeed power to communicate for good or evil.
Whether this new power is used more for good or for harm, partly depends on what the world does in shaping our young generation of users - what we do in convincing and assuring them that the world is ultimately good. That the real reason for existence is to live for one another. To love and support each other. That we have a duty to ensure our neighbour’s rights as well as ours. That for meaningful peace to exist in our world, we have to be each other’s keeper – empowering and caring for one another’s welfare and wellbeing.
Because these truths are so evident to us in C4C, using the various communication channels to positively impact our youths everywhere is of the greatest importance to us. Using the various Social Media Platforms to reach and empower young people everywhere is a major strategy for us. The logic is simple. Social media has enormous reach. It is being used more and more by the young everywhere. It is here to stay. It is an increasingly important way to reach young people and provide them with a meaningful involvement in the world’s affairs.
However in going that route, it is our collective duty to join hands with all well-meaning individuals to ensure that modern communication channels, particularly the social media ones, are being largely used for good and for positive empowerment. It is our duty to ensure that all engagements take place with mutual respect for each other views and opinions. It is our duty to ensure that all engagements take place with fastidious attention to accuracy of facts and details.
Compelled by these urgent needs, we have embarked on publishing a series of social media usage articles, which we hope will be a useful contribution to the efforts/call for a meaningful and positive use of social media by all. Welcome to our Social Media Series.