UNDP’s #SPIRITDAY campaign against bullying becomes trending topic
By Cristhian Manuel Jiménez from UNDP in the Dominican Republic
“Spirit Day’’ is celebrated in order to promote awareness, acceptance and love towards LGBTIQ youth. In this context, the Dominican Republic UNDP Office promoted the “Spirit Day 2020” Campaign, using the hashtag #StopBullying, encouraging people to raise their voices against discrimination and take a stand to preserve the rights of LGBTIQ youth.
Against this backdrop, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) office in the Dominican Republic promoted the “Spirit Day 2020” campaign on October 17th using the hashtag #AltoalAcoso, and encouraging people to stand up against discrimination and defend the rights of LGBTI youth.
This initiative is part of the #LibresEIgualesRD campaign of the United Nations System in the Dominican Republic. The campaign aims to promote the equal and fair treatment of LGBTI people.
The critical public awareness around this issue was such that on the day of the campaign the hashtag #AltoalAcoso was positioned as the number one trend on Twitter in the Dominican Republic. In addition, the campaign was mentioned in the online versions of some of the major newspapers in the country such as Periódico HOY and Diario Libre.
Likewise, artists, influencers, human rights activists, journalists, lawyers, teachers and professors joined the call of #AltoAlAcoso.
The campaign received support from the Dominican government, high ranking public officials in the country such as the Vice-Minister of the Administrative Ministry of the Presidency, the Vice-Minister of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Economy and Planning, the Director of the National Statistics Office, the Vice-Minister of International Cooperation of the Ministry of the Environment, the Technical Director of CONADIS and the substitute Councillor of the municipality of Navarrete.
In the words of Olaya Dotel, Deputy Minister for International Cooperation: “The dignity of people is sacred and the Universal Charter of Human Rights aims to protect it. It is up to us, as managers of public policies, to coordinate actions to defend and achieve it”.
At the same time, members of the diplomatic corps accredited in the country showed their support, such as the German Ambassador, the European Union Ambassador, the OAS Representative, or the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, among many others, who publicly involved themselves with the campaign, uploading their photos with the frame “I support LGBTIQ youth”, which was designed by UNDP in the Dominican Republic. In total, over 2,600 people used this frame massively, showing a high level of citizen involvement in making this issue visible and working towards a more inclusive, tolerant and respectful Dominican Republic for LGBTI youth.
Thank you all!
