UNESCO/AFRICMIL and partners celebrate Global MIL Week 2015 in Nigeria

The 2015 Global Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Week was celebrated in Nigeria at a forum held in Abuja on Monday, June 22.

Organised by UNESCO’s Nigeria office in partnership with the African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), the National Library of Nigeria, Librarians Registration Council of Nigeria, Nigerian Broadcasting Commission, National Film & Video Censors Board and others, the event brought together hundreds of media and information literacy enthusiasts, including students, teachers, media scholars and professionals, government officials and youth activists to deliberate on the theme of the Global MIL week celebration: “Celebrating Connectivity Across Cultures.”

Benoit Sossou, UNESCO regional director in Nigeria gave an overview of the MIL Week celebration and background of UNESCO’s engagement with MIL while Chido Onumah, Coordinator of the African Centre for Media & Information Literacy, provided an insight to the development of MIL in Nigeria and Africa.

A number of papers were delivered, including “Media and Information Literacy as a proactive measure in combating internet radicalization and extremism among youth” by Dr. Olunifesi Suraj of the Dept. of Mass Communication, University of Lagos.

The Global MIL Week celebration will culminate with a conference at Temple University, Philadelphia, USA, hosted by the National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE) from 26 to 27 June.

This annual event is led by UNESCO and the United Nation Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) in connection with the Global Alliance for Partnerships on Media and Information Literacy (GAPMIL) and the Media and Information and Intercultural Dialogue University Network (MILID University Network).  

At the conference this year, the GAPMIL International Media and Information Literacy Award will be launched. The UNESCO-initiated GAPMIL will be awarding its first International MIL Awards to Jad Melki, founder of the Media and Digital Literacy Academy of Beirut (Lebanon), and Tessa Jolls, Executive Director of the Center for Media Literacy (USA). The International MIL Award is supported by UNESCO and UNAOC.

For the fifth time, MIL Week will be uniting diverse actors committed to promoting media and information literacy as a way to foster social inclusion, intercultural and interreligious dialogue. Stakeholders, including universities, associations, practitioners, research groups, teachers as well as media, information and technology specialists from all around the world, will attend to give momentum to the dialogue at a global level.

UNESCO and partners are inviting stakeholders all over the world to organize local initiatives online or offline. A special focus could be given to youth and their role in global dialogue and peace. Please see the 10 Ways to Celebrate Global MIL Week 2015.

Through the efforts of UNESCO, UNAOC, the Nordic Information Centre for Media and Communication Research (NORDICOM), and the MILID University Network, a MILID Yearbook was published in 2013 and 2014. The 2015 MILID Yearbook will be officially released at the conference, with the title MIL for Sustainable Development Goals.

. Follow the link to read more and to join GAPMIL.

The 2015 Global Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Week was celebrated in Nigeria at a forum held in Abuja on Monday, June 22.

Organised by UNESCO’s Nigeria office in partnership with the African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), the National Library of Nigeria, Librarians Registration Council of Nigeria, Nigerian Broadcasting Commission, National Film & Video Censors Board and others, the event brought together hundreds of media and information literacy enthusiasts, including students, teachers, media scholars and professionals, government officials and youth activists to deliberate on the theme of the Global MIL week celebration: “Celebrating Connectivity Across Cultures.”

Benoit Sossou, UNESCO regional director in Nigeria gave an overview of the MIL Week celebration and background of UNESCO’s engagement with MIL while Chido Onumah, Coordinator of the African Centre for Media & Information Literacy, provided an insight to the development of MIL in Nigeria and Africa.

A number of papers were delivered, including “Media and Information Literacy as a proactive measure in combating internet radicalization and extremism among youth” by Dr. Olunifesi Suraj of the Dept. of Mass Communication, University of Lagos.

The Global MIL Week celebration will culminate with a conference at Temple University, Philadelphia, USA, hosted by the National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE) from 26 to 27 June.

This annual event is led by UNESCO and the United Nation Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) in connection with the Global Alliance for Partnerships on Media and Information Literacy (GAPMIL) and the Media and Information and Intercultural Dialogue University Network (MILID University Network).  

At the conference this year, the GAPMIL International Media and Information Literacy Award will be launched. The UNESCO-initiated GAPMIL will be awarding its first International MIL Awards to Jad Melki, founder of the Media and Digital Literacy Academy of Beirut (Lebanon), and Tessa Jolls, Executive Director of the Center for Media Literacy (USA). The International MIL Award is supported by UNESCO and UNAOC.

For the fifth time, MIL Week will be uniting diverse actors committed to promoting media and information literacy as a way to foster social inclusion, intercultural and interreligious dialogue. Stakeholders, including universities, associations, practitioners, research groups, teachers as well as media, information and technology specialists from all around the world, will attend to give momentum to the dialogue at a global level.

UNESCO and partners are inviting stakeholders all over the world to organize local initiatives online or offline. A special focus could be given to youth and their role in global dialogue and peace. Please see the 10 Ways to Celebrate Global MIL Week 2015.

Through the efforts of UNESCO, UNAOC, the Nordic Information Centre for Media and Communication Research (NORDICOM), and the MILID University Network, a MILID Yearbook was published in 2013 and 2014. The 2015 MILID Yearbook will be officially released at the conference, with the title MIL for Sustainable Development Goals.

. Follow the link to read more and to join GAPMIL.

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