The war in Ukraine is not being fought only on the battlefield. It also reaches our information spaces, and teachers are on the front line.
It was in this context that Stand With Ukraine took part in a three-day training programme held at the Jean Monnet House from 11 to 13 March, organized by the European Parliament and bringing together 30 teachers involved in the European Parliament Ambassador School Programme. The training focused on a key challenge: combating disinformation.
Russia’s objective is clear: to spread false information in order to divide public opinion and weaken European support for Ukraine. At the same time, the tools used to do so are becoming increasingly sophisticated: images taken out of context, AI-generated content, deepfakes, “Doppelganger” operations… Today, some of these manipulations are extremely difficult to detect.
The goal was to provide teachers with practical tools to identify disinformation and equip their students with the critical thinking skills needed to avoid falling victim to Russian propaganda. Solutions exist, and the European Union is taking action, but in the face of this threat, vigilance and critical thinking remain our strongest defenses.
Disinformation does not stop with the war in Ukraine. It intensifies around every major democratic event.
Our sincere thanks to the European Parliament in France—especially Clémence Malaret and Isabelle Coustet—as well as to the Jean Monnet House for hosting us in such a place of historical significance, to the teachers for their attention and commitment, and to the Île-de-France Region for its valuable support of our work with young people across the region.
