July 2025 — The Youth Media Center (YMT)—an ICDC partner—hit the road with one goal: help young people recognize disinformation, think critically, and make informed choices in an election year. Through five public discussions in Cahul, Bălți, Drochia, Leova, and Ungheni, more than 500 participants—youth, teachers, journalists, local officials, and CSO reps—joined conversations on staying informed and resisting manipulation.

Cahul – The starting point

July 2 marked the kickoff in Cahul. Participants examined how disinformation shapes public opinion and democratic processes. Local media, NGOs, and youth groups shared ways to build information resilience.
Main takeaway: Critical thinking underpins responsible youth participation in democracy.

Bălți – Fact-checking and media literacy

At the Nortek Youth Center, participants discussed how to verify content credibility, which local sources to trust, and how to manage manipulation during elections. Andrei Curăraru (WatchDog.MD) presented real examples of false narratives and tools for identifying fakes.

Drochia – Fighting disinformation together

Teachers, librarians, youth workers, and activists teamed up to compare methods for choosing reliable sources, verifying facts, and building resilience.
Message: We’re stronger together—through dialogue, education, and awareness.

Leova – Spotting fake news in an election year

With 125+ participants, the Leova discussion emphasized trustworthy sources and the role of public authorities in supporting media literacy. Andrei Curăraru explained how propaganda, deepfakes, and emotional manipulation can sway voters—and how to counter them.

Ungheni – Final stop, ongoing mission

Over 80 participants explored how propaganda works, how to recognize manipulation, and how local media education projects are already making a difference.
Consensus: Without critical thinking, it’s easy to fall for disinformation—especially during elections.

A collective effort with lasting impact

These events were possible thanks to local authorities, youth centers, NGOs, and journalists. Each discussion reinforced how vital media literacy is—and how ready young people are to push back against disinformation.

What’s next? Although the July tour is over, YMT will keep expanding media education activities, developing new tools, and supporting communities to build long-term resilience against false narratives.