After only one month, the “Put Your Belt Aside” campaign caused a storm of discussion among the public and in the media! In February, the non-governmental organisation, Dardedze began a major social campaign, “Put Your Belt Aside” in partnership with DDB, Nords Porter Novelli and PHD which invited the public to alter its attitude towards raising kids using violent methods. More than 50 supporters joined the campaign including the media and various companies, as well as celebrities whose readiness to work and invest capital pro bono was truly inspiring!
In one month, the campaign homepage noliecsiksnu.lv had been visited by more than 25,000 Internet users. Hundreds of opinions and comments were expressed and every day countless calls were made to the DardedzeCentre’s information support hotline. 3,500 users participated in the Internet portal’s “belt index”. Throughout February, public attention was also captured by a campaign stand positioned inside “Galerija Centrs” where anyone who supported the idea could symbolically also put down their belt. Dardedze’s psychologists received letters from both parents and kids about daily situations and family problems. People even called the information hotline asking to sign up as volunteers, And even in horoscopes, astrologists warn: “Kids should be raised, not re-educated. Put down that belt.”
Head of the Dardedze Centre, Agnese Megne commented upon the campaign’s achievements by saying: “These results prove that people care about the basic issue of the campaign and this is the most important thing.” The results of a public survey confirm this. Overall, half the Latvian public has heard about the campaign. More important still is the fact that an absolute majority of 90% and most significantly the principal target audience have understood the goal of the campaign.
Plans are in place to roll out the campaign to the regions. The next city to issue the symbolic invitation “to put belts down” will be Valmiera followed by Balvi where a crisis centre is due to open soon in partnership with the Dardedze Centre.