Make your voice heard. Sign this petition! After over 40 years of work at the local, national and international levels, Media and Information Literacy (MIL) must be recognized.
The global challenge to empower all citizens with the competencies needed for life and work in the 21st century is one that must be embraced by individuals, organizations, governments and institutions around the world. In this digital era, MIL is essential if people are to make informed decisions, exercise the rights of citizenship, and engage with media and technologies in a critical and ethical way.
It is obvious today that media and information play a primary role in our everyday lives, with the power to influence how we think, how we relate to one another, and how we understand ourselves and our world. MIL includes a set of competencies that enable individuals to: search, critically evaluate, use and contribute information and media content wisely; develop a knowledge of one’s rights online; understand how to combat online hate speech and cyberbullying; understand the ethical issues surrounding the access and use of information; and engage with media and ICTs to promote equality, free expression, pluralistic media and information, intercultural/interreligious dialogue, and peace.
MIL is a “living and responsive practice”– a critical use and understanding of the information and media content that underpin such issues as intercultural dialogue, democratic rights, global citizenship, gender equality and empowerment, inclusive and sustainable development, and a practice that lies at the core of freedom of expression and freedom of information.
For the past six years, UNESCO has been cooperating with UNAOC and the UNESCO-UNAOC MILID UNITWIN Universities Network, and in recent years with the Global Alliance for Partnerships on Media and Information Literacy (GAPMIL), to promote MIL and to organize Media and Information Literacy and Intercultural Dialogue Week.
As a result, GAPMIL believes that it is time for the proclamation of an internationally recognized Global MIL Week on the UN calendar. GAPMIL therefore calls on UNESCO and its Member States to adopt a resolution to officially recognize Global MIL Week. This is an opportunity to promote the fundamental principles of MIL in formal, informal, and non-formal education, to assess the state of MIL education and initiatives, and to celebrate those individuals and organizations who have provided leadership and inspiration in the field.
GAPMIL calls on everyone around the world — all its members, civil society, organizations (private, public and non-governmental), individuals working in the fields of media, information, technology, journalism, librarianship, communication and education, as well as other related online or offline fields — to sign this petition.
Together our voices will be heard.
Global MIL Week coincides with three important initiatives and celebrations:
- The General Assembly of the Global Alliance for Partnerships on MIL –which represents 80 organizations from around the world
- UNESCO-UNAOC MILID UNITWIN Universities Network Meeting – which represent 20 universities from around the world
- The Global MIL Conference
Global MIL Week also celebrates the traditions established in 5 previous Global MIL Week conferences and meetings that brought together researchers, educators, industry professionals, students, policy makers, regulators and NGOs.
- Fez, Morocco (2011)
- Barcelona, Spain (2012)
- Cairo, Egypt (2013)
- Beijing, China (2014)
- Philadelphia, USA (2015)
Global MIL Week acts as a reminder to educators, organizations and governments of the need to respect their commitment to MIL. It is also an opportunity to focus on new media and information literacy activities and initiatives, and at the same time, celebrate the creative and innovative ways in which people from around the world are embracing and promoting MIL for all.
