The federal government has stated that hosting the 2022 UNESCO Global Media, Information Literacy (MIL) Week would help to address the growing trend of fake news, misinformation and hate speech.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said this Friday in Abuja at the inauguration of the Local Organising Committee for the event scheduled for October 24 to October 31.
The minister said the decision to give Nigeria the hosting right was a testament to the fact that the country “is a known strong advocate of media and information literacy.”
“In 2013, Nigeria successfully hosted the First Global Forum for Partnership on MIL, tagged: Abuja 2013. This Forum gave birth to the UNESCO MIL Alliance as well as other initiatives, as part of our collective desire to achieve media and information literacy for all and by all.
“Nigeria’s contributions towards the birth and the growth of MIL, especially in the West African Sub-Region, played a large role in UNESCO’s decision to offer our country the right to host this event,” he said.
Mohammed said further that the theme of 2022 Global MIL week as approved by UNESCO, is Nurturing Trust: A Media and Information Literacy Imperative.
He said the theme highlighted how media and information literacy could help in nurturing trust and countering mistrust.
The minister disclosed that the event, to be held at Sheraton Hotel Abuja, would bring over 193 UNESCO member countries, who will participate physically and virtually.
He said because the event required serious and meticulous planning, members of the Local Organising Committee were carefully selected.
The minister added that Nigeria being the first country in the West African sub-region to host the event, the committee could not afford to fail or disappoint.
He, therefore, charged committee members to bring their wealth of experience and expertise to play in organising a world-class event.
NAN reports that while the minister chairs the 25-member LOC, the permanent secretary, Dr. Adaora Anyanwutaku, is to serve as the vice-chairman.
