Strengthening media literacy and dialogue — empowering journalists and activists in Ukraine.

Overcome Fakes was a completed international educational project that developed critical thinking, media literacy and dialogue skills among journalists, bloggers, NGO activists and young leaders working in conflict and post-conflict recovery contexts. In an era of information overload and social media dominance, the need for media literacy and responsible journalism remains urgent.

Project aim

The primary objective was to equip participants with the skills to identify and counter fake news and conspiracy theories on social networks, and to minimise their damaging effects. Through training programmes, journalists and activists gained tools and methods to foster tolerance, facilitate dialogue and highlight constructive solutions to the complexities of the conflict in Ukraine.

• Train participants to recognise fakes and manipulations on social media.
• Provide tools for countering disinformation in communities.
• Support dialogue practices as a way of resolving conflicts peacefully.
• Strengthen the quality of conflict-related discourse in Ukrainian civil society through partnerships between NGOs and journalists.
• Create a safe educational space for exchange between Ukraine and Germany.

Educational components

The project included a series of trainings, in particular:

• From Conflict to Dialogue — facilitation, emotional safety and working with tension.
• Overcome Fakes — Overcome Conflict — media literacy, fact-checking and information hygiene.
• Online Technologies for Trainers — digital tools for learning and facilitation.

Participants and reach

Approximately 200 people took part in key activities: journalists, bloggers, NGO leaders, internally displaced persons and refugees from Ukraine (both inside the country and abroad). The project also initiated dialogue between refugees and people who had remained in Ukraine, fostering understanding and a shared vision for the future.

Networking events and the involvement of actors from Germany and Europe who were invested in civil society further enriched the discourse. Calls for participation were open and transparent. Selection was based on professional experience, potential impact and motivation to engage actively in the project’s activities.

Equality and inclusion

The project upheld gender equality and inclusivity, so that all sections of the population had equal opportunities to take part. By actively promoting the voices of minorities and vulnerable groups, it created a diverse and tolerant environment for dialogue and collaboration.

International cooperation

The project was implemented in partnership between Comparative Research Network (CRN), Germany, and the Ukrainian Network of Adult Education and Development of Innovation (UNAEDI), Ukraine — organisations working in non-formal education, civic engagement and peacebuilding. An extensive contact base of journalists, NGO leaders and educators, together with partnerships involving social media platforms, supported the dissemination of information.

Impact

By empowering journalists, activists and young leaders with practical tools and knowledge, the project strengthened media literacy, countered fake news and fostered constructive dialogue in Ukraine. Through collaboration and a commitment to responsible journalism, participants helped shape a more informed and tolerant society, united in the pursuit of truth, understanding and lasting solutions.

Focus areas: critical thinking; media literacy; countering manipulation; dialogue; responsible journalism.