The Institute for Development and Social Initiatives (IDIS) "Viitorul" organized on March 16-20, 2025, a study visit to NATO headquarters in Brussels for a group of five young people, who created infographics and videos aimed at countering Russian disinformation narratives in the Republic of Moldova. The study visit was part of the "Calling Out Disinformation and Misinformation in the Republic of Moldova" project, funded by NATO's Public Diplomacy Division and implemented from December 2024 to March 2025 by IDIS "Viitorul".

"The visit to the NATO headquarters was a beneficial one, it gave us a deep insight into the geopolitical challenges in the region. The meetings and discussions helped us better understand NATO's role and the importance of cooperation for regional security. It was a knowledge-building experience", said Mihail Nesteriuc, a participant.

"The study visit was a valuable experience, which allowed us to better understand NATO's support to the Republic of Moldova in the fight against disinformation. Given the extent of the phenomenon in the media space (and not only) in the country, NATO's involvement is essential for strengthening efforts to combat information manipulation and contributes to deepening knowledge about the international support provided, especially in the context of the current geopolitical situation in the region", said Ruslan Graur, a participant.

"The study visit was an opportunity to better understand NATO's role in ensuring global security, but also in combating disinformation, which is a growing challenge today. We learned a lot about how NATO supports partner states in building information resilience and the mechanisms to counter media manipulation. This information is key to understanding how propaganda and fake news can influence public perceptions of international security and cooperation," said Snejana Jitari.

"A dose of inspiration came from my study visit to NATO headquarters, where, after discussions with the staff there, I reconfirmed that NATO is not only about armaments and military technology, but it is a big space where human life comes first. This is a time when the Republic of Moldova is vulnerable to mass disinformation, and NATO has shown its openness to provide the necessary support in this respect as well", said Radu Soltan, a participant.

"The visit to NATO headquarters was an opportunity for in-depth discussions on current geopolitical challenges. The information and opinions we received allowed us to better understand the strategic priorities of the Alliance and their impact on regional security", said Natalia Iasibas, a participant.

"This visit has repeatedly convinced us that the external interest in supporting the Republic of Moldova has greatly increased since 2022, but also that this interest must correspond to civil society, academia, political actors, and all citizens interested in Moldova to continue the process of European integration and rapprochement with the free European community and forward-looking international community", said Mihai Țurcanu, member of the organizing team of IDIS "Viitorul".

The project's first activity was organizing a practical workshop. Ion Tăbîrță, Executive Director of the NATO Information and Documentation Centre in the Republic of Moldova, spoke about Russia's online disinformation campaigns against Western countries, including the Republic of Moldova. At the same workshop, young people learned from Nina Bolocan how to create infographics and videos to counter Russian disinformation narratives.

The young people had three weeks to create videos and infographics aimed at countering Russian disinformation narratives in the Republic of Moldova, which were presented in three hackathons on February 6, 11, and 18, 2025.

The overall objective of the "Calling Out Disinformation and Misinformation in the Republic of Moldova" project is to support the effort to counter the threats of disinformation and manipulation from the Russian Federation targeting the Republic of Moldova. The specific objective of the project is to increase the capacity of young people, students, and opinion leaders in areas such as critical thinking, media literacy, analysis, and resistance to misinformation, as well as reflecting public-interest information in an unbiased way. It also aims to increase the resilience of Moldovan society regarding critical thinking, media literacy, and resistance to disinformation through awareness and visibility actions on social media, specifically tailored to call out Russian and its proxies' disinformation and misinformation campaigns.

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The "Calling out disinformation and misinformation in the Republic of Moldova" project, implemented by IDIS "Viitorul", is financially supported by the NATO's Public Diplomacy Division.

IDIS Viitorul is an independent think tank established in 1993 that combines social, political and economic research with strong advocacy components. The institution conducts applied monitoring research in several areas: economics, social policy, EU policies, regional development, and security and foreign policy risks.

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