“How many years can some people exist before they’re allowed to be free” (Bob Dylan)

Posted on by December 11, 2009 by banafshe.zabeti

This text was first published as a guest entry on www.se-forum.se/

When I first heard about the social network www.Ideasforchange.tv was via JMK (the department for Journalism Media and Communication), where I had studied and from where I graduated last year. I was immediately interested to find out more about the project and thought what if I could make a difference and contribute with my ideas.

“Ideas for change”, was really like lovely music to my ears: “the right idea meets the right problem”. I could imagine myself be fully engaged in this project, to be able to contribute with my ideas.  It was not a question about how to contribute; the whole project was so clear and brilliant in my eyes that I did not hesitate before I contacted the project manager Daniel Daboczy (who later became my new boss at the web-agency Dabber TV, but that is a whole different story that I’d love to share next time).

I thought: this is my big chance to increase the awareness about global warming. This is my big chance to increase the awareness about children’s rights and the perspective of the child, a term used by researchers in cultural studies. More importantly, this was my chance to engage people and make them contribute with their ideas. Sometimes you only need the right voice to actually understand that you do not need to be a part of a NGO, a governmental institution etcetera to make a change. After a few seconds on www.ideasforchange.tv you will understand that it is like the whole planet has collected the very best ideas on a web site and you realize that it can only grow bigger and wiser. So many voices. So many faces. So many tears. So much pain. All floating next to each other, like an universe of its own called: ideas for change. 

Most recently I realized that social entrepreneurship is a matter of trying, a matter of acting rather than just reacting.  It is awareness about the fact that we all actually can make a difference and have a responsibility to contribute with our ideas to turn up the volume against injustice and rise together to fight and literary create a better world.

Some say that you cannot change the world in one day. I most certainly agree. However, who said that you cannot change your attitude in one day? 

On Friday the 4th of december the artist Shakira was one of the eminent guests at the popular show Skavlan and said “we all need to be political but we do not have to be politicians”. Well put Shakira! I share her point of view and must say that a political act is not monopolized by those holding the greatest power or those voices that are too noisy today. WE must never forget that we all have the power and possibility to make our voices heard, internet is the best listener in these times. The outcome of the presidential election in Iran and the anger and disappointment it caused is one of many examples. The people of Iran screamed and we all heard their voices. Imagine if they had thought that their voices could never be heard? We all have a responsibility to share our ideas and knowledge, so I truly hope to see more contributors on ideasforchange.tv and more arguments to reach a better world.

Viola Zabeti