World Media and Information Literacy Week

From October 24 to 31, World Media and Information Literacy Week will be held with the theme:

"Media and information literacy for the public good ."

The event is co-organized by South Africa and UNESCO in cooperation with the European Commission.

Within the framework of the annual World Media and Information Literacy Week, the Global Youth Hackathon 2021 will also be held, bringing together young people and youth organizations worldwide to participate, in a meaningful way, in the creation of innovative learning in media and information literacy.

The hackathon seeks to address various challenges, such as promoting peace-building narratives and addressing hate speech through the media and information literacy.

The main Conference and Youth Forum will take place online, alongside events taking place around the world.

The program

World Media and Information Literacy Week includes a series of lectures and plenary thematic sessions that will kick off on Monday, October 25. The details of the program can be reviewed here (English).

Monday, October 25, 2021

• High-level opening session: Placing media and information literacy on the international development agenda- 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm. (CEST) -
• First high-level plenary session: Promotion of regional cooperation in media and information literacy. - 3:45 pm - 5:15 pm (CEST) -

Tuesday, October 26, 2021

• Plenary Session: Leaving No One Behind in Media and Information Literacy: Mobilizing Resources for Real Impact. - 9:30 am - 11:00 am (CEST)
• Plenary session: Response linked to the State on policies and strategies for media and information literacy. 11:15 am. - 12:45 pm (CEST) -
• Parallel Session 1: Media and Information Literacy: A Facilitator for Media Viability and Transparency of Digital Platforms. 2:00 pm. - 3:30 pm. (CEST)
• Parallel session 2: Media and information literacy for people with disabilities. 2:00 pm. - 3:30 pm. (CEST)
• Closed session: Second United Nations round table on media and information literacy. 2:00 pm. - 3:30 pm. (CEST) -

Wednesday, October 27, 2021

• Plenary session: Dialogue on an international multi-stakeholder framework for private / digital platforms to promote media and information literacy (policies and programs) 9:30 am. - 11:00 am. (CEST) -
• Parallel Session 1: Media and Information Literacy for Global Citizenship and Addressing Digital Transformation. 11:15 am. - 12:45 pm. (CEST)
• Parallel session 2: Early and late initiators: Media and information literacy for children and the elderly. 11:15 am. - 12:45 pm. (CEST)
• Parallel session 1: Presentation of the winners and results of the Global Media and Information Literacy Youth Hackathon. 2:00 pm. - 3:30 pm. (CEST)
• Parallel session 2: MIL UNESCO Alliance and MIL University Network and Intercultural Dialogue (Awards and Dialogue) 2:00 pm. - 3:30 pm. (CEST)
• Plenary session: Disinformation about scientific facts: literate responses in media and information. 3:45 pm - 5:15 pm (CEST)

Thursday, October 28, 2021

• Plenary session: Agenda Africa 2063: Media and information literate citizens as agents of change (a focus on media and information literacy in Africa). 9:30 am. - 11:00 am. (CEST)
• Plenary session: Regulation of social networks and threat to freedom of expression: The alternative of media and information literacy. 11:15 am. - 12:45 pm. (CEST) -
• Plenary session: Media and information literate youth for a better future. 2:00 pm. - 3:30 pm. (CEST)
• Parallel session 1: Media and information literacy in youth organizations: good practices and innovative approaches. 3:45 pm. - 5:15 pm. (CEST) -
• Parallel Session 2: Knowledge Development on Media and Information Literacy and International Cooperation: Youth as Leaders and Partners. 3:45 pm. - 5:15 pm. (CEST) -

Friday, October 29, 2021

• Parallel session 1: Media and information literacy to help ensure the safety of journalists. 11:15 am. - 12:45 pm. (CEST)
• Parallel session 2: Cultural expression and freedom of expression: closing the gap with media and information literacy. 11:15 am. - 12:45 pm. (CEST)
• Parallel Session 1: A Festival of Ideas for Teaching Media and Information Literacy: Communities of Practice. 2:00 pm. - 3:30 pm. (CEST)
• Parallel session 2: Media and information literacy in journalism and journalism education. 2:00 pm. - 3:30 pm. (CEST)
• Plenary Session: World Cities Day Meets Global Media and Information Literacy Week 2021: MIL Cities to Address Climate Disinformation. 3:45 pm. - 5:15 pm. (CEST)
• Launch of the Global Recommendations on Guidelines for the Development of the Media and Information Literacy Curriculum. 3:45 pm. - 5:15 pm. (CEST)

For UNESCO's Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information, Tawfik Jelassi, “The ultimate challenge of our time is to harness the power of rapidly evolving digital technologies to effectively contribute to the promotion of information as a public good. To seize opportunities and address content challenges, we must recognize that media and information literacy is an important factor for sustainable development. Media and information literacy, along with digital skills, are more than ever a sine qua non for an informed and resilient society. Therefore, national policies and strategies in these areas become urgent in all countries ”.

Drafting of SIGNIS ALC with information from UNESCO