The United Nations and partners from all over the world have reaffirmed the urgent need in building people’s resilience and in advancing global financing for media and information literacy development.
This need arose in other to strengthen access to media and information literacy competence for everyone on the foundation of global trust.
This was disclosed at the closing session of the UNESCO Global Media and Information Literacy Week, 2022 in Abuja, Nigeria. With the theme “Nurturing Trust: A media and information imperative to fight against disinformation and build trust”.
The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, also said that the promotion of integrity in public information, is key to the improvement of media and information literacy “Trust is the bedrock of every society, It connects people to their leaders, it builds faith in institutions, and it brings people together. The theme of this year’s Global Media and Information Literacy Week is all about building trust in the face of a growing ‘infodemic.’ Mis and disinformation. At the peak of COVID-19, misinformation caused suffering and even death. That’s why we launched the “Verified” initiative to reach millions worldwide with facts and science about the virus. And it’s why I’ve called for a global code of conduct that promotes integrity in public information, and improves media and information literacy. So people can make choices based on fact, not fiction. The Abuja Declaration is an essential step in this journey. I call on Member States to develop media and information literacy policies that put science, knowledge and facts first. Let’s rebuild the trust that our societies need, and that our collective future requires.’’
Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information, (UNESCO), Dr. Tawfik Jelassi, commended all stakeholders for their commitment to moving media literacy forward. “This year’s global media information literacy week, we have witnessed an extraordinary level of interest, willingness and commitment for accelerating media information literacy forward, the value of trust and solidarity has been the glue of social cohesion and social break through a common good. I’m certain that this year’s celebration contributed to the growth of trust and solidarity among all of us who took part in it. Let us now work together to put the Abuja declaration on global financing for media information literacy to put the declaration into action to combat disinformation and trust”,
According to UNESCO’s Director, for the multisector regional office for West Africa and Sahel, Dr. Dimitri Sanga, media literacy is key to rebuilding trust among people. “Disinformation has a devastating effect on democracy, public disclosure, human right and peace, and erode the value of diversity tolerance and openness. These challenges are themselves a public health crisis for which media information literacy is the most suitable weapon to building a people’s resilience. Disinformation and misinformation endanger individuals and public health, so media and information literacy is key to rebuilding trust amongst citizens, audience, national institution, the media and digital platforms. As far as UNESCO is concerned, we shall increase resources to leverage expertise in scaling up media and information literacy through the organization’s unique opportunities for intra- sectoral, inter-sectoral and multi-sectoral discipline cooperation”.
Participants at the conference renewed support for expanding and sustaining media and information for everyone to tackle disinformation and build trust by ensuring global financing of media and information literacy for all and to give regard to the Abuja declaration.
Olusola Akintonde
