What’s happening:
The Merage Foundation in Israel has launched an initiative to engage Persian-speaking volunteers in fighting antisemitism, particularly on social media platforms.
Why it matters:
In the wake of the social media battle that erupted following the events of October 7th, the significance of public diplomacy became apparent. With Iran being a primarily Persian-speaking nation, communicating in this language can help to present a more objective stance and potentially reach the Iranian populace more effectively.
The background:
Sigal Aferiat Cohen, a project manager at the Merage Foundation, who had herself fled Iran as a child, realized the challenge of replying to social media in Persian single-handedly. This gave birth to the idea of mobilizing a larger group of Persian speakers to help counter the negative narrative and disinformation surrounding Israel.
By the numbers:
This endeavor has successfully attracted roughly 450 Persian-speaking volunteers and is expanding its recruitment efforts globally. Volunteers are trained by the Stand With Us organization and create both translated and original public diplomacy content for platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, and Telegram.
The impact:
These efforts have resulted in the establishment of a unique public diplomacy community within Israel, reaching out to Iranians who have been exposed to propaganda and harbored animosity towards Israel for years. The goal is to shine a light on the truth and share Israel’s side of the story with an audience that has been largely inaccessible until now.
The broader context:
The initiative is part of the Merage Foundation’s long-standing commitment to supporting Iranian Jewish immigrants in Israel. The organization’s work aims to empower these individuals to succeed and become philanthropic contributors within Israeli society.
Looking forward:
As this Persian public diplomacy movement gains traction, the hope is to make meaningful strides in combating antisemitism and enhancing Israel’s image worldwide, especially within Iranian communities.
This story was first published on jpost.com.