News
The 'Follow your Heart' campaign
Central image:
The campaign uses as its central image the award-winning photograph 'Love Difference', by the Italian artist Andrea Delta.
The Artist describes the concept behind the image thus;
The hearts represents of the core of the human being, life and aptitude to love. All the hearts are the same: the only difference is in the labels that name specific “categories”. So, the core of the human condition is the same for every one – it’s love for a part – and, as represented through the hearts, embodies the possibility for men to love differences.
The campaign maintains some of the original 'categories', whilst substituting others. For instance the Icelandic version includes immigrants, disabled persons and the older persons, all thought to have become especially vulnerable in Iceland in this period of economic turmoil. The poster is entitled ‘Follow Your Heart’.
Campaign launch:
The campaign was launched with a press conference/reception in The Culture House on the 9 June 2009. It is hoped that through media attention the campaign will engender discussion and debate on the extent of discrimination in Iceland, and the forms it takes. The campaign is aimed at the general public.
The purpose of the campaign was is to make people aware of and to reflect upon stereotypes and whether such stereotypes discriminate against people on the basis of the six main themes.
The six main grounds of discrimination addressed are;
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age
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disability
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origin or race
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sexual orientation
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religion
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philosophy of life
Distribution:
The poster and postcards with the same image have been distributed to;
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bus-stops in the Greater Reykjavik area and in Akureyri
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All libraries in the country
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The offices of general practitioners
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Cultural centres
Organised by the Icelandic Human Right Centre in co-operation with the Icelandic Youth Council, The Intercultural Centre, Amnesty International, National Church, the Youth Education Centre and the Icelandic Red Cross. This campaign forms part of the national awareness activities related to the PROGRESS funded year long project, “Equality Now! Promotion of Diversity and Equality in Iceland”.
