Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Chairman of Sharjah Media Council
When we think about a culture, it is primarily defined in our minds by its people, their unique characteristics and values. Travelling to a new country, the foremost and overarching impression is gained from our interactions with the local people. Our perception of the place is only marginally impacted by its aesthetics, landscapes, infrastructure and public services offered, and largely by the people’s attitudes, their hospitality and generosity…or lack of them.
Cultures are shaped by people’s values, traditions and intellectual achievements. Therefore, they are prone to evolution and change, for better or for worse, due to social, political, economic or even environmental factors. It is complex and constantly in flux.
Interestingly, the culture is not passed on to us genetically. Cultural inheritance refers to the storage and transmission of information through communication, imitation, and learning. It is considered the final stage in hereditary evolution, but it is not biological but shared and imbibed, not coded in our genes.
What makes a great culture? One that is based on virtues evolves with the pillars of harmony, discipline, law and order, among others, gaining the respect and admiration of other cultures. This cumulative cultural inheritance needs to be maintained and passed on successfully, to preserve the social and economic fabric of a country. It can be facilitated by long-term policies, programmes and plans to mould and influence society’s values and outlook. This is where government communication comes in, playing a key role.
When attempting to shape or alter certain societal aspects or patterns through awareness campaigns, government communication departments need to work with all stakeholders to define clear messaging based on social, psychological and behavioural sciences for achieving their goals with maximum impact.
For instance, if the communication is aimed at resource conservation, the message put out is how communities can reduce the consumption of said resources. The bottom line is modifying human behaviour to preserve or change habits and thus, culture. For the change to take place, the sustainability ethos has to go beyond mere campaign slogans and government policies to tangible actions taken by people and communities. This is only possible if government communication shifts from guidance and awareness-only campaigns to full-fledged plans and strategies to build a culture of taking action for sustainable development.
When government communication units are advocating and creating awareness on a specific subject, collaboration with other stakeholders is crucial to maximise the impact and facilitate change.
Change can be created when the following factors come into effect:
- All entities involved in the campaign need to roll out coordinated actions to convey public-specific and unified messaging. This requires detailed coordination between the concerned parties.
- Government communication should use all available tools and methodologies to alter community perceptions and foster positive change. For example, a water and power saving campaign by the authorities should release scientific information and data about the negative impact of overconsumption and highlight the optimum levels to be adhered. In tandem, the civil society, educational and hospitality sectors and institutions should disseminate the message of responsible consumption through their communication channels. These combined efforts of entities will accumulate in people’s minds and perceptions and thus alter cumulative behaviour.
- Human perception and behaviour are sensitive to stimuli, direct and indirect messaging. Communication experts, working together with behavioural, psychological and social science experts need to create campaigns that stimulate and cause positive change in people.
- Campaign messaging by government communication departments need to build and strongly convey mutual trust between the public and government entities. It should reinforce the messages of adaptability and positive change. Most importantly, to bring about public change, campaign owners should position themselves as role models in practising and bringing about the change they advocate.
Good communication and dispersion of messages hinge on the innate goodness of humans, counting on their willingness to embrace, transmit and spread good values among others and in society at large. What cultural and communication experts need to identify are the right delivery approaches and processes for different segments and communities.
The method is key to the message.
Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Mwenyekiti wa Halmashauri ya Vyombo vya Habari ya Sharjah, alisema: 'Kama tunafikiria utamaduni, ni msingi katika akili zetu na watu wake, sifa zao za kipekee na maadili. Tunaposafiri kwenda nchi mpya, hisia kuu na kuu hupatikana kutokana na mwingiliano wetu na watu wa eneo hilo. Maoni yetu ya mahali ni tu marginally kuathiriwa na aesthetics yake, mandhari, miundombinu na huduma za umma zinazotolewa, na kwa kiasi kikubwa na mitazamo ya watu, ukaribishaji wao na ukarimu... au ukosefu wao. Utamaduni hufanyizwa na maadili ya watu, desturi na mafanikio ya kiakili. Kwa hiyo, wao ni rahisi kwa mageuzi na mabadiliko, kwa bora au kwa mbaya, kutokana na kijamii, kisiasa, kiuchumi au hata mambo ya mazingira. Ni tata na inabadilika-badilika daima. Jambo la kupendeza ni kwamba utamaduni huo haupitwi kwetu kwa njia ya urithi. Urithi wa kitamaduni hurejezea kuhifadhi na kupitisha habari kupitia mawasiliano, kuiga, na kujifunza. Ni hatua ya mwisho katika mageuzi ya urithi, lakini si ya kibiolojia, lakini ni ya pamoja na imbued, si coded katika jeni zetu. Ni nini hufanya utamaduni uwe mzuri? "Mungu ambaye hutegemea wema wa adili huendelea na nguzo za maelewano, nidhamu, sheria na utaratibu, miongoni mwa wengine, akipata heshima na heshima ya tamaduni nyingine. """ Urithi huu wa kitamaduni wa mkusanyiko unahitaji kudumishwa na kupitishwa kwa mafanikio, ili kuhifadhi muundo wa kijamii na kiuchumi wa nchi. Inaweza kuwezesha na sera za muda mrefu, programu na mipango ya kuunda na ushawishi wa maadili ya jamii na mtazamo. Hapa ndipo mawasiliano ya serikali yanapoingia, yakicheza jukumu muhimu. Wakati wa kujaribu kuunda au kubadilisha mambo fulani ya kijamii au mifumo kupitia kampeni za ufahamu, idara za mawasiliano za serikali zinahitaji kufanya kazi na wadau wote kuelezea ujumbe wazi kulingana na sayansi ya kijamii, kisaikolojia na tabia ili kufikia malengo yao na athari ya juu. Kwa mfano, ikiwa mawasiliano yana lengo la kuhifadhi rasilimali, ujumbe unaotolewa ni jinsi jamii zinavyoweza kupunguza matumizi ya rasilimali zilizotajwa. Mwishowe ni kurekebisha tabia ya binadamu ili kuhifadhi au kubadilisha tabia na hivyo, utamaduni. Ili mabadiliko yatokee, maadili ya uendelevu yanapaswa kwenda zaidi ya kauli mbiu za kampeni na sera za serikali kwa vitendo halisi vilivyochukuliwa na watu na jamii. Hii inawezekana tu ikiwa mawasiliano ya serikali yanabadilika kutoka kwa kampeni za mwongozo na ufahamu tu hadi mipango kamili na mikakati ya kujenga utamaduni wa kuchukua hatua kwa maendeleo endelevu. Wakati vitengo vya mawasiliano vya serikali vinapopigania na kuunda ufahamu juu ya mada maalum, ushirikiano na wadau wengine ni muhimu ili kuongeza athari na kuwezesha mabadiliko. Mabadiliko yanaweza kuundwa wakati mambo yafuatayo yanapoanza kutumika: - Vitu vyote vinavyohusika katika kampeni zinahitaji kuzindua vitendo vilivyopangwa ili kupeleka ujumbe maalum wa umma na wa umoja. Hii inahitaji uratibu wa kina kati ya pande zinazohusika. - mawasiliano ya serikali inapaswa kutumia zana zote zinazopatikana na mbinu ya kubadilisha maoni ya jamii na kukuza mabadiliko chanya. Kwa mfano, kampeni ya kuokoa maji na umeme na mamlaka inapaswa kutoa habari za kisayansi na data kuhusu athari mbaya ya matumizi ya kupita kiasi na kuangazia viwango bora vya kufuata. Pamoja na hayo, jamii ya kiraia, sekta za elimu na ukarimu na taasisi zinapaswa kueneza ujumbe wa matumizi ya uwajibikaji kupitia njia zao za mawasiliano. Jitihada hizi za pamoja za vyombo zitajikusanya katika akili na maoni ya watu na hivyo kubadilisha tabia ya jumla. - Uelewa wa binadamu na tabia ni nyeti kwa vichocheo, ujumbe wa moja kwa moja na wa moja kwa moja. Wataalamu wa mawasiliano, wakifanya kazi pamoja na wataalamu wa tabia, saikolojia na sayansi ya kijamii wanahitaji kuunda kampeni ambazo zinachochea na kusababisha mabadiliko mazuri kwa watu. - Ujumbe wa kampeni na idara za mawasiliano za serikali zinahitaji kujenga na kuwasiliana kwa nguvu uaminifu wa pande zote kati ya umma na vyombo vya serikali. Inapaswa kuimarisha ujumbe wa uwezo wa kukabiliana na mabadiliko mazuri. "Kitu muhimu zaidi, ili kuleta mabadiliko ya umma, wamiliki wa kampeni wanapaswa kujiweka kama mifano katika kutekeleza na kuleta mabadiliko wanayoyashauri. """ Mawasiliano mazuri na usambazaji wa ujumbe hutegemea wema wa asili wa wanadamu, kutegemea utayari wao wa kukumbatia, kupitisha na kueneza maadili mazuri kati ya wengine na katika jamii kwa ujumla. Nini wataalamu wa utamaduni na mawasiliano wanahitaji kutambua ni mbinu sahihi za utoaji na michakato kwa ajili ya makundi tofauti na jamii. Njia ni ufunguo wa ujumbe.