Over 500 experts, media professionals participate in 13th Global Media and Information Literacy

AMMAN — Deputising for His Majesty King Abdullah, HRH Princess Rym Ali inaugurated the 13th Global Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Week Conference on Wednesday, held under the theme," The New Digital Frontiers of Information: Media and Information Literacy for Public-interest Information.”

The two-day conference was organised by UNESCO in partnership with Ministry of Government Communication.

In her opening remarks, Princess Rym, founder of the Jordan Media Institute and president of the Anna Lindh Foundation, emphasised the need to keep pace with the rapid creation of information and the importance of mastering digital skills to navigate the complex reality, avoiding risks of manipulation, fraud, and social inequality.

The princess warned that unequal access to digital technology could hinder democratic participation and economic growth, pushing societies toward marginalisation. 

She highlighted the importance of critical thinking and verification skills as core components of media literacy, empowering individuals to question and assesses information, even from trusted sources.

She also expressed pride in Jordan's progress in this field within a short time, envisioning Jordan as a regional hub for the development of media and information literacy.

Minister of Government Communication and government spokesperson Mohammad Momani condemned Israeli forces for violating international values and humanitarian principles in the occupied Palestinian territories. 

He denounced Israeli policies and actions in Gaza and the West Bank. 

He also condemned Israel's assault on civilians and journalists, as an attack on the free press and those who bring truth to light.

Momani said that these Israeli actions not only violate cultural heritage, educational structures, and humanitarian conditions but also involve forced demographic changes in Gaza, inducing displacement and acts of genocide against civilians.

 He warned of unprecedented humanitarian conditions resulting from these actions, unparalleled even by the world wars  I and II. 

Momani reaffirmed that, under King Abdullah's leadership, Jordan, has made substantial efforts at Arab, Islamic, and global levels to shed light on the humanitarian "catastrophe" in Gaza and its impacts. 

He praised UNESCO's efforts to preserve what left of human life and heritage signs in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories.

 He also acknowledged UNESCO's recent resolution on the Old City of Jerusalem and its walls, which reinforces the city's authentic Arab and Islamic identity and nullifies all post-1967 occupation measures, affirming Al-Aqsa Mosque as a place of worship for Muslims.

Momani discussed Jordan's pioneering role in enacting the Right to Access Information Law and its media literacy efforts, which began in 2016. 

The government has since approved a national plan for media literacy (2020-2023), introduced media literacy into school curricula in 2024, and assigned media literacy promotion to the Ministry of Government Communication. 

In 2023, the Council of Arab Information Ministers recommended the adoption of Jordan’s media literacy model across the Arab region.

UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information Tawfik Jelassi commended Jordan's commitment to media and information literacy, noting the country's leadership in the region. 

He praised Jordan's support for hosting the 13th Global MIL Week Conference and stressed the conference's relevance in a time when the world faces a complex reality where truth coexists with misinformation and hate speech, and reliable information competes with disinformation, conspiracy theories, and harmful narratives, which grow more intricate by the day.