The Red Threads of 2020 – by Guido Rijnja

A month ago, the jury of the Issue Award considered social issues of 2020 and the way in which people and organizations drew attention to them. Guido Rijnja, communications policy advisor at the Government Information Service and one of the jury members, noticed some repetitive themes that characterize the zeitgeist of 2020. Now that the year is almost over and the announcement of the nominations and the winner of the Issue Award 2021 is just around the corner, we would like to share this analysis by Guido Rijnja as a preview

• The year of free speech. Unintentionally and unconsciously and perhaps even unnoticed, 2020 has shown how the proverbial valves opened in all kinds of places. As longer-term abrasive themes such as racism and perceived inequality sought a way, we have seen how professionals claimed attention and how industries affected by COVID-19 were able to quickly and sharply gain mass. Such as the catering industry, students and organizations in sports and culture. We see how intense concern leads to a range of initiatives, in which media also play a role as amplifier, booster and platform. And this in a year where disinformation and conspiracy theories played an increasingly important role.
• The year of the professional. Many potential nominees are manifestations of people who emerged powerful in their professions. More specifically, the people in 2020 who sign up for healthcare day in and day out stand out. The pandemic has undeniably sparked attention for healthcare professionals due to its immediate and persistent impact, but for some time we have seen how people stand for their profession and seek and find attention for it. The movements that started among farmers, teachers and healthcare workers were significant in 2020. Not only on the Malieveld, but also elsewhere, we see a strong need from fellow professionals to emerge in search of recognition and appreciation.
• The year of the small story. Issues often derive their recognisability from large-scale attention and broad exposure in all conceivable media. 2020 showed how the power of putting themes on the agenda and disseminating themes often lies in recognisability on a small scale: the conversation at school, in companies, in the neighborhood and the association. Where concerns are felt most directly and concretely, people stand up and look for hearing, support and reinforcement. This also applies to a theme that seems to be the subject of a very incisive conversation in the Netherlands: the development of the climate, the generation of energy and the way in which we deal with the landscape and space in our country. There is a lot going on in the Netherlands. Especially when it comes to safety and tolerance. Who sees the small voices, who understands them and helps them connect and move the movement forward?