Feb 12, 2013-NaN
United States of America
World Toilet Day
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ACTIVISTS/ACT.GROUPS/DESCRIPTION OF THE GROUP
Matt Damon
TARGET
The World
WIDELY HELD BELIEF
People should have better quality toilets and clean water
CASE NARRATIVE
Issue/Opponent: Today 3.6 billion people are still living with poor quality toilets that have ruined their health and pollute their environment. The Inadequate sanitation systems spreads human waste into rivers, lakes and soil causing contamination the water resources. Specficially, Matt Damon the Co-Founder of Water.org pointed out that around 780 million people which is twice as much of people in the United States lack access to clean water. Dilemma Action: On February 12, 2013 Matt Damon who is the co-founder of water.org held a press conference where he announced that a protest the fact that 2.5 billion of people have lack access to a toilet or basic sanitation and by doing this he would be going on a “toilet strike.” Specifically, he called for others to join in him in this protest by on Novemeber 19th of each year people do the toilet strike. The media coverage of the skit was intended to be supprotive towards those who have lack of access to clean water. The video also did not create any fear or apathy but instead it brought humor to those joining. Outcome: On Novemeber 19th of each year Toilet Day is celebrated as a way to raise awareness for those who do not have clean water and access to sanitary toilets. Various famous actors have supported this protest as well supporting Matt Damon. This campaign has also been a continuous campaign as it is being done for the increase of access to clean water around the world. Also, this has not brought any negative responses from opponents but instead there has been a huge support for clean water around the world.
PRIMARY STRUGGLE/GOAL
NONVIOLENT TACTICS USED
DA TACTICS USED
Humorous skits and pranks
Public Speeches
CASE NARRATIVE WRITER
SUCCESS METRICS
8 / 12
(MC) Media Coverage
(MSYMP) Media coverage was sympathetic to the activists
(PS) Dilemma action built sympathy with the public
(PUN) Punishment favored the activists
(RF) Dilemma action reduced fear and/or apathy among the activists
(SA) Dilemma action appealed to a broad segment of the public
Artivism
Laugtivism
PART OF A LARGER CAMPAIGN
3 / 3
Activist group continued working together after the action
Encouraged more participants to join the movement
Internally replicated by the same movement
RESOURCES
Project documentation
Dilemma Actions Coding Guidebook
Case study documentation
Dilemma_Actions_Analysis_Dataset
SOURCES
Water.org. 2013. “Strike With Me to Raise Awareness,” Retrieved July 23, 2023. (https://water.org/about-us/news-press/strike-me-raise-awareness/).
World Toilet Day. 2022. “WORLD TOILET DAY 2022
MAKING THE INVISIBLE VISIBLE,” Retrieved July 23, 2023. (https://www.worldtoiletday.info/).
Water.org. 2013. “MATT DAMON, “I’M GOING ON STRIKE”,” Retrieved July 23, 2023. (http://strikewithme.org/water_post_hr/).
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