Kulmakivi is Finnish and means cornerstone or foundation stone. In construction, especially in past, before modern methods, cornerstone was the first step in the construction of masonary foundation. All the other stones of the basement were set in refernece to this stone. The entire structure was based on this stone. In old Finnish houses you can clearly see this cornestone and how central it is to for the whole structure.
Our project is not so much about construction but more about democracy, freedom of speech, freedom of expression and journalism and is role in social change.
Our main question is:
What is the role of journalism and freedom of expression in social change and in democracy?
Democracy includes two principles, equality and freedom – all citizens being equal before law and having equal access to power.
As it said on The Global Human Rights Education Network´s web pages (http://www.hrea.org) :
”Freedom of expression is a cornerstone of democratic rights and freedoms. In its very first session in 1946, before any human rights declarations or treaties had been adopted, the UN General Assembly adopted resolution 59(I) stating “Freedom of information is a fundamental human right and … the touchstone of all the freedoms to which the United Nations is consecrated.”
Our Kulmakivi is a Collaborative Learning Project about Journalism and it´s role in Social Change.
Kulmakivi is interested in the role that journalism and free expression play in addressing development issues and promoting human rights, social justice and good governance.
This blog is part of the project. We collect here current news that somhow connect to our agenda and isuues around human rights, freedom of expression and democracy.
The editor of the blog is Tuike Alitalo. I am a Finnish journalist and the co-ordinator of Kulmakivi project.
We will soon publish a site kulmakivi.org – and this blog will be part of it.
We hope that kulmakivi.org-site will develope to a meeting place and medium where students of journalism and other interested parties are able to discuss and study together questions of free expression and journalism in social change.
Kulmakivi is a joint project of Vikes (The Finnish Foundation for Media, Communication and Development) and IPS Finland (Inter Press Service News Agency Finland).
Kulmakivi includes also a study programme Journalism and Social Change, carried out in co-operation with univerisites from Finland, Ghana and Tansania.
More information about our project will be published soon on kulmakivi.org
Our e-mail address: kulmakivi.info(ÄT)gmail.com
Pingback: Keskustelutilaisuus Pressiklubilla « Viestintä ja Kehitys -säätiö