How to Best Evolve Imagery and Language to Translate Values into Stories?
How to develop messages that gain traction and popularity? How to be popular, but not populist? How to win the hearts and minds of your target audience? How to compete effectively in the face of rising populism? How to counteract fake news?
In search of new strategies and innovative approaches to promoting freedom, all of these issues were discussed during the Regional Capacity Development Workshop of FNF East and Southeast Europe. Inspirational input for best practices in the field was given from the liberal political movement “Operation Libero” from Switzerland. Stefan Schlegel from “Operation Libero” shared impressive lessons from Switzerland about campaigning for open societies.
The goal of “Operation Libero” is to ensure that Switzerland is a place of opportunity for all living there.. and that Switzerland does not become an open air museum.
Schlegel first addressed what is unique about the liberal movement and their key to successful communication.
To be attractive for multipliers, you have to come up with a new song.
Furthermore, in the video below Stefan Schlegel shared how “Operation Libero” manages to achieve political impact and to reframe the political discourse in the face of rising populism in the post-truth world.
Populists appeal to values. You can only fight populists, if you as well speak to those values… And if you are able to evolve the imagery and the language to translate these values into stories.
I hope that in the time horizon of 5 years of work, “Operation Libero” will become a reliable bullshit buster.
Schlegel continued by sharing how to successfully preach not only to the minds, but as well to the hearts of people.
Being popular is a lot of work. Being populist is very easy. …Being popular requires translating your values and ideas in understandable and accessible stories and imagery that gain traction with a large audience.
Last, but not least, Schlegel shared with the Freedom Team of East and Southeast Europe the international aspirations of the political movement in the video below.
The fight that Operation Libero is fighting between the open society and its enemies is an European struggle.
Stefan Schlegel, a Member of the Executive Board of the Swiss liberal movement, is responsible for its political programme. He holds a Doctor of Law degree (Dr. iur.) from University of Berne and is Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity (Göttingen), Department of Ethics, Law and Politics. Learn more about "Operation Libero" here.