Descendants of All Worlds
'Descendants
of All Worlds' (DOAW) is Heartstone’s latest project and was
launched at the
House of Commons in June 2006. Those of you who know us are aware of
our work
to challenge all forms of prejudice and intolerance and this time, we
are using
our photodocumentaries presented in a new way to achieve the same aim.
As with
all our stories, the intention is to demonstrate that people have more
similarities than we have differences and that there may be more than
one side
to a story.
Photodocumentary as a route to challenge prejudice / intolerance
Images
in the world today are a powerful route through which to influence
attitudes,
ideas and behaviour. They cross language, national, racial and other
boundaries
as they use the universal language of human emotion to tell a story.
The effect
they have on shaping how we see our world and what we do is well
researched and
accepted leading to an advertising and media industry where millions of
pounds
are spent every year. In the context of photojournalism where the
intention is
to present a ‘moment of time’, it is increasingly
of concern as constantly
reported in the photographic press, that our power to manipulate and
change
images to present any story that we want is now almost limitless which
raises
questions in relation to what we believe is true and what is not and
how far
down this path it is acceptable to go. We are
‘bombarded’ with images every
day, a silent route through which our ideas are being influenced
especially in
the context of how we relate to other people.
DOAW - Descendants of All Worlds
Over
the course of the year, we will be presenting 6 different
photodocumentaries.
You will find these stories will give you a route through which to:
- build greater contact, understanding and
communication
across different nationalities, backgrounds, races and
cultures
- develop discussion/debate on the issues of
racism,
xenophobia and other forms of intolerance,
using the stories as the starting stimulus
- develop definitions of what constitutes
negative / positive
behaviour
- understand how stereotypes and prejudices are
formed and
what can be done to counteract these
