10 ways to celebrate Global Media and Information Literacy Week
UNESCO proposes you 10 ways to celebrate Global Media and Information Literacy Week.
1. Organize a Media and Information Literacy Day
Organize a Media and Information Literacy Day in your community by bringing together diverse actors committed to Media and Information Literacy (NGOS, Media and Information Literacy practitioners, local media, policy makers, students, teachers etc.). Many local Media and Information Literacy Days will make an echo at the conference.
2. Organize relevant events or activities in your city
If you are a city actor (municipality, public transport operator, city library, city museum, city hospital, hotel etc.), you can organize a local event, roundtable or related exhibition, or display the Global Media and Information Literacy Week poster or other Media and Information Literacy-related educational posters (you can get inspiration from our MIL CLICKS content, or create your own), at your premises or city public facilities, such as city hall, public transport stations, city landmarks etc.
3. Mainstream Media and Information Literacy topic at universities
Relevant education/training institutions are invited to organize special debates, lectures, or colloquium to promote Media and Information Literacy around the globe.
Communication, information and library science, and education departments can disseminate research findings on themes related to media and information literacy and intercultural dialogue.
4. Use social media to raise awareness about Media and Information Literacy in civil society
A good way to promote media and information literacy is to use media and technology as vehicles for this purpose. Use social media to promote Media and Information Literacy globally. Use the hashtag #GlobalMILWeek and share your experiences with the world!
You don’t know what the Media and Information Literacy is? If you are able to use a social network service, such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+, etc., then you already have some media and information literacy skills. But are you using it effectively? Do you know how to critically analyse information and media content online and offline? If you are between ages 15 and 25 and want to know more about MIL, click here to register for online course.
Join and invite your friends to become MIL CLICKers by joining the MIL CLICKS social media innovation.
Share the MIL CLICKS video with your friends: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JyoihAuuKg
Make citizens aware of the benefits of Media and Information Literacy competencies to their daily lives. Making people more aware about Media and Information Literacy themes is more likely to draw policy maker’s attention.
5. Send a letter
Send a letter, email or social media message to your local media outlets and public service broadcasters, public and school / university libraries, local NGOs, Internet service providers, youth organizations, public transports operators, and the city mayor etc., requesting that they do more to promote Media and Information Literacy in your community. You can propose themes that are a part of Media and Information Literacy.
6. Give a voice to the youth
Youth are major users of information, media and new communication technologies. It is more important than ever to support the new generation to use them effectively. Youth speaking to youth and youth speaking to adults are powerful ways to empower them to be active promoters of Media and Information Literacy. Encourage youth to make their voice heard.
Youth organizations can organize short webinars and discussions/debates within their youth networks. Encourage youth to blog about media and information literacy and intercultural dialogue.
Media, technological intermediaries, journalists and libraries, both on or off line can engage youth through interviews, community outreach activities, to voice their opinion on Media and Information Literacy and intercultural dialogue.
7. Join the Global Alliance for Partnerships on Media and Information Literacy (GAPMIL)
Promote Media and Information Literacy at a global scale by joining GAPMIL. Click here to complete a brief survey. This is a pledge to commitment to dialogue. By joining GAPMIL, you will participate to global work with common goals.
Connect with other partners nationally and regionally. Explore the setting up of national or regional Media and Information Literacy associations/networks where these do not exist – connect these to GAPMIL.
8. Promote UNESCO’s publications and actions
You can download, exhibit, distribute or tweet links for publications produced or supported by UNESCO and other partners:
- Media and Information Literacy Policy and Strategy Guidelines
- Global Media and Information Literacy Assessment Framework
- MILID Yearbook 2015 - Media and Information Literacy for the Sustainable Development Goals
- Opportunities for Media and Information Literacy in the Middle East and North Africa
- Empowerment through Media Education. An Intercultural Dialogue
See more UNESCO publications on MIL by clicking here.
9. Promote or enroll in the media and information literacy online course
If you are a young girl or boy and wish to know more about Media and Information Literacy, intercultural dialogue and gender equality, click here to register.
10. Participate in global online debates
Enrich your knowledge of Media and Information Literacy from other initiatives and experiences by participating in online debates and discussions via the GAPMIL mailing list (gapmil@unesco-lists.org). There, you will be able to actively contribute to stimulating discussions about the implementation of Media and Information Literacy and the future of Media and Information Literacy.
You may have other creative ideas to promote Media and Information Literacy Week and develop the new Media and Information Literacy Cities Initiative that we have not thought about. Share these ideas! There you are free to share your thoughts directly via email. Come and inspire us.