Raipur creators discuss children’s rights, health and power of social media to drive positive change
Correspondent
NewsBits.in
RAIPUR: Thirty influencers, artists and content creators came together in Raipur on Monday evening for “Creative Voices: A Meetup”, an informal interaction aimed at exploring how the creative and social media community can contribute to raising awareness and discourse around issues affecting children in Chhattisgarh.
The meet began with an engaging introductory activity in which participants introduced themselves by connecting their identities with memories from their childhood. The exercise created an informal and reflective space for participants to reconnect with their own experiences of growing up before turning the conversation towards the realities and aspirations of children today.
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Anil Gulati, Communication Specialist, UNICEF Chhattisgarh, and Dr. Gajendra Singh, Health Specialist, UNICEF Chhattisgarh, described the participating influencers, artists and content creators as change makers for society, highlighting the significant role they can play in shaping conversations and inspiring positive action
Mr. Gulati, who facilitated the interaction, spoke about why children’s issues matter and discussed some of the challenges faced by children. He called for collective action to build a stronger discourse around issues concerning children in Raipur and across Chhattisgarh.
He encouraged the participants to come together, identify issues that matter to children and use their creative platforms to bring these issues into public conversations.
He added that UNICEF could support this collective effort by providing technical knowledge and credible information, enabling creators to translate evidence and expertise into meaningful social media content.
Dr Gajendra Singh, Health Specialist, UNICEF Chhattisgarh, shared insights into key issues affecting children, with particular emphasis on child health, infant mortality and mental health.
He explained how these concerns can have a lasting impact on the lives, well-being and future of children in Chhattisgarh, underlining the need for greater awareness and informed public discourse. Shwetabh Tripathi, Health Officer, UNICEF Chhattisgarh also shared stories of his childhood in the meet.
D Shyam Kumar, senior journalist, also addressed the gathering and inspired the participants by sharing his experiences from the field. His reflections offered the creators an insight into the importance of understanding issues at the grassroots level and communicating them with sensitivity and authenticity.
Sana Tamkeen, Media Professional, underlined the growing influence of social media and the crucial role played by content creators in shaping the behaviour, thoughts and beliefs of the public, particularly younger generations.
She encouraged the participants to use this influence responsibly and become a voice for children and their needs, helping inspire meaningful and lasting change in society.
The interaction brought together creators from diverse backgrounds, including social media influencers, artists and digital content creators namely Priya Lalwani, RJ Animesh, Swati Khandelwal, Anjani Ganguly, Sparsh Lakhani, Tashish Upadhyay and Priyanshu Singh, Devesh Bajaj, Rubal Singh, Satyam Yadu, Damini Banjare, Ankit Dubey, Rahul Gupta and others.
At the conclusion of the meet, the participants affirmed their commitment to serving as changemakers for children, and expressed their willingness to use their creative voices, digital platforms and influence to bring greater attention to issues affecting children and encourage positive conversations and action across society.
The gathering marked an effort to build a community of creators who can combine creativity, influence and credible information to amplify the voices and concerns of children in Chhattisgarh.
