A global newspaper connecting people around the world on topics that are essential to community development.
Release | 08.04.24
Vantaa, Los Angeles, Sheffield, Galway, Kisumu, Nairobi, Cape Town, Helsinki - Citizen Network News is a new global newspaper for citizens by citizens. Citizen Network News, a groundbreaking newspaper committed to amplifying the voices of everyday citizens, proudly announces the release of its much-anticipated first edition. With a mission to foster citizen, community engagement and promote the significance of non-commercial spaces, the paper's debut edition with thirteen articles and art works delivers insightful commentary, thought-provoking articles, and compelling stories from around the world.
One of the founders and chief editors of Citizen Network News, Markus Vähälä from Finland says:
“In a world where commercial interests dominate public discourse and digital platforms creating division and polarization, this newspaper hopes to offer an alternative; a physical media created with ordinary people for ordinary people everywhere. We believe that a physical newspaper is a good medium to create appreciation for diverse perspectives and enable global conversation around the themes that are authentic and relevant to all citizens. The creation and distribution of a community centered newspaper creates new connections and opportunities for citizens to form stronger relationships. We need a newspaper like the one we have created more now than ever. After the covid lockdowns people are now surrounded by more mistrust, isolation, fear and violence. We need to counter this with more community connections.”
Citizen Network News offers an opportunity for the reader to learn about community issues from a worldwide network of citizen reporters that have created a print only newspaper around cornerstone themes that deal with community building. The first edition’s theme is ‘public spaces’. Through the lens of public spaces it highlights community centers, public spaces for children, civic centers and grassroots initiatives from around the world. It demonstrates that community spaces serve as vital hubs for connection, collaboration and cultural enrichment, and highlights how these spaces are becoming threatened.
Michael Bierman executive director of The Strindberg Laboratory and one of the chief editors of Citizen Network News says:
“In America a prominent Harvard sociologist Robert Putnam has remarked that over half of all civic spaces have simply disappeared. We hope that this newspaper will raise the alarm on why we should preserve and expand public spaces globally to keep our communities strong as well as our democracies alive.”
The first edition of Citizen Network News features a diverse range of articles written in multiple languages and includes artwork, posters and images relating to the public spaces theme. The titles of the articles and communities they highlight are:
A Clean well-Lighted Space - Los Angeles, California
Creating a healing space - Finland
Advocating For Community Recreation Free Spaces - Kenya
Making space in Sheffield for emerging futures - England
SAVE LAPINLAHTI with a poster - Finland
Do It Yourself Arts in Community (part 1) - Ireland
Lapinlahden Lähde syntyi tarpeesta vaalia poikkeuksellista kaupunkitilaa - Finland
Tilat toipumisen tukena - Finland
Public Spaces - Los Angeles, California
What city? - Finland
Ofafa hall - Celebrate Luo Cultural Performance - Kenya
Helsinki - Meidän kaikkien tiellä! - Finland
The Future is here but the past won’t let go - South Africa
With its compelling content and a commitment to grassroots citizen journalism, Citizen Network News invites readers to join the conversation and get involved in shaping the future of their own communities.
Order your copy of Citizen Network News here.
Read an article by the Editors at: https://citizen-network.org/library/the-creation-of-a-global-newspaper.html
