Creating a culture of dialogue: DW Akademie, UNESCO and partners to hold 2nd Pan-African Media & Info Literacy Conference in Abuja, Nigeria

Location: Abuja/Nigeria

Dates: December 1 – 3, 2015

Theme: “A Culture of Dialogue – Communication and Information in a Digitizing World”

Media and Information Literacy (MIL) includes competencies to access, critically analyze, create, and use information and media in various forms. It is increasingly crucial to all citizens in changing media and information environments, whether we are looking at traditional or new media.

These competencies, in the 21st century knowledge society, become even more important when we consider how they can stimulate effective participation in dialogue as well as the democratic and governance processes.

Having access to media and information is a necessity but the impact of this access is magnified exponentially when citizens have the competencies (knowledge, skills and attitude) to critically and effectively engage with the media, internet and other information providers.

In an information driven world, information and knowledge become the life blood to development and good governance. Achieving the UN’s recently adopted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) requires that people of all levels of society acquire the skills to access and critically evaluate information, and to effectively engage with media of all forms.

To this end, UNESCO and DW Akademie, Germany’s leading organization for international media development in collaboration with the Pan – African Alliance on Media and Information Literacy (PAMIL) and the Global Alliance for Partnerships on Media and Information Literacy (GAPMIL) will be holding the 2nd Pan – African Conference on Media and Information from December 1 – 3, 2015, in Abuja, Nigeria.

The theme of the conference is: “A Culture of Dialogue – Communication and Information in a Digitalizing World”

The conference aims to:

  • Create a forum for debate on a continental position on MIL education in order to encourage national policies and strategies for integrating media and information literacy into school and teacher curricula;
  • Give a voice to students and youths by sharing good practices regarding the development and implementation of continental youth MIL initiatives;
  • Create an awareness of the importance of MIL, and promote the relevance of MIL as a catalyst for peaceful communication – particularly in social networks – and as a culture of dialogue.

Participants for the 2nd Pan – African MIL Conference will be drawn from MIL stakeholders across Africa and beyond, including MIL organizations, media and information providers, government agencies, schools, universities, NGOs, libraries, development partners and youth organizations.

The conference aims to build on the efforts of the continental MIL platform, the Pan – African Alliance on Media and Information Literacy (PAMIL), and will feature hands – on presentations that provide current approaches and perspectives on the growing media and information literacy field.

The conference will also include a number of timely participatory workshops based on key media and information literacy related areas. The theme “A culture of dialogue” is the conference’s core idea and is reflected in the conference design; it will feature prominently in conference deliberations.

This 2nd Pan – African MIL Conference comes seven years after the 1st Africa Media Literacy Conference held in Abuja, Nigeria, from July 30 – 31, 2008, which focused on empowering children and youth and advancing the benefits of information and communication technologies.

Conference languages are English and French.

For further information please contact:

Vera Möller – Holtkamp

Project manager, Media Development, DW Akademie

(dw-akademie.mil@dw.com)

Alton Grizzle

Programme Specialist, Section for Media Development and Society, UNESCO

a.grizzle@unesco.org

Chido Onumah

Coordinator, African Centre for Media and Information Literacy

conumah@hotmail.com

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