The Elephant Talk project kicks off with two international trainings, held in Palermo and Athens. These workshops are designed to equip participants with the knowledge and tools to collect and visualize data on gender-based online hate speech. The first training in Palermo brought together partners, participants, and experts to focus on the fundamentals of data collection. With this foundation laid, the journey continues in Athens, where the focus will shift to transforming the collected data into impactful visualizations.
PART 1: Data Gathering
Palermo, Italy
07.-10.10.2024
In October, Young Educators had the opportunity to participate in Palermo’s international training for the Elephant Talk project hosted by Maghweb. Within a three-day workshop, experts and professionals across Europe explored how data collection and analysis can be done through a transfeminist and intersectional approach. Setting the focus on amplifying underrepresented voices and addressing systemic inequalities the training overall challenged participants to rethink traditional methodologies in digital and data humanities. The training also introduced participants from Italy, Croatia, Romania, Portugal, Greece, Slovenia, and Spain to techniques that prioritize inclusivity and acknowledge cognitive biases.
The sessions were a deep dive into grassroots projects and innovative strategies for digital activism, offering practical tools and inspiration for addressing issues like gender-based online hate speech. These tools will be used to develop national initiatives that empower young people to actively contribute to activism through data collection processes. The next stage of the project will take place in Athens in January 2025 and focus on transforming collected data into impactful visualizations that can serve as educational tools.
We are thankful for this thrilling first step into data-gathering, made possible by the incredible expertise and insights shared by the trainers and facilitators. Together with our partner organizations, we are eager to move forward into data visualization and then roll up our sleeves to get into action!
PART 2: Data Gathering
Athens, Greece
22.-25.01.2025
In January, Young Educators participated in the second international training for the Elephant Talk project, hosted in Athens by Impact Hub and Maghweb. Building on the foundations laid in Palermo’s data-gathering training, this three-day workshop shifted the focus to data visualization and how it can be used as a powerful tool for social campaigning, advocacy, and lobbying against gender-based online hate speech.
Participants, including nine external youth workers, civic educators, and activists from across Europe, engaged in an interactive theoretical training led by Maghweb and Impact Hub. The sessions explored how to apply inclusive, transfeminist, and intersectional approaches to data visualization, emphasizing the importance of aesthetics, accessibility, and ethical representation when creating visual narratives. The training invited participants to critically examine how visual storytelling can either challenge or reinforce societal power dynamics, particularly in campaigns addressing online gender-based violence.
In the practical component of the workshop, participants collaborated to establish a common research and visualization methodology. Together, they discussed and decided on the tools, formats, and styles to visualize the data collected on gender-based online hate speech in their respective local communities. The chosen visualizations aim to highlight regional trends while ensuring that the representation of the data remains inclusive and contextually relevant. While Maghweb will lead the final execution of the visual outputs, the collaborative planning process ensures that the final products reflect the collective vision and input of all participants.
This training not only equipped participants with practical visualization techniques but also fostered a space for reflection on the role of data-driven activism in amplifying marginalized voices. By transforming raw data into engaging visuals, the project seeks to raise awareness and serve as an educational resource to challenge gender-based hate speech at both local and European levels.
We are grateful to the dedicated facilitators and participants whose collective knowledge and energy made this training another inspiring step forward. With the data gathered and visualized, we are excited to move toward the implementation phase, turning insights into action-oriented campaigns that advocate for safer online spaces for all.
Elephant Talk is a collaborative project coordinated by Maghweb in partnership with Impact Hub Labs, Polylogos, and Young Educators, funded by the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) under the CERV program for Citizen Engagement and Participation.
Read and download the Work Package with the report of the days carried out within the framework of the European Union programme ‘Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values’.