2. Outline
• Background and the MIL Concept
• Organisations
• Events
• Campaigns, initiatives, networks
• Publications/ Frameworks
• Criticisms
• Getting involved
Sheila Webber, 2022
3. Background 1
• UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization)
initially had separate initiatives for Media Literacy & Information Literacy
• Information Literacy: included Prague meeting & Declaration (2003),
Alexandria Proclamation (2005)
“Information Literacy lies at the core of lifelong learning. It empowers people in
all walks of life to seek, evaluate, use and create information effectively to
achieve their personal, social, occupational and educational goals. It is a basic
human right in a digital world and promotes social inclusion of all nations.”
Sheila Webber, 2022
4. MIL a “composite concept”
“Media and information literacy is an interrelated set of competencies that help
people to maximize advantages and minimize harm in the new information,
digital and communication landscapes. Media and information literacy covers
competencies that enable people to critically and effectively engage with
information, other forms of content, the institutions that facilitate information and
diverse types of content, and the discerning use of digital technologies.
Capacities in these areas are indispensable for all citizens regardless of their
ages or backgrounds.”
https://www.unesco.org/en/communication-information/media-information-
literacy/about
See also https://twitter.com/MILCLICKS/status/1319605689690562563
Sheila Webber, 2022
5. “Media Literacy plus Information Literacy
equals Media and Information Literacy.
This forward-looking approach harmonizes
the field and stresses the need for a multi-
perspective theoretical approach. It is
harmonizing because it encapsulates the
many notions of related literacies. These
include: library literacy, news literacy, digital
literacy, computer literacy, Internet literacy,
freedom of expression and freedom of
information literacy, television literacy,
advertising literacy, cinema literacy, and games
literacy ... It is also worth noting that social
literacies such as scientific, global, political,
family, financial and cultural literacies are
widely discussed. Media and information
literacy underpins all of them.” (Grizzle et al., 2013:53-54)
Sheila Webber, 2022
6. Background 2
• Activities include:
• Publications & frameworks: e.g. MIL Curriculum; MIL Assessment Framework;
Framework for MIL cities
• Events: e.g. annual “Global MIL week”; webinars
• Associations: MILAlliance; MILID university network [ID = Intercultural Dialogue]
• Initiatives & networks: Training and development, notably in Global South, working in
particular with local media literacy organisations
• Campaigns: e.g. MIL CLICKS
• Includes strong focus on combatting misinformation and hate speech
• Youth, teachers & journalists particular focus for education/campaigns
Sheila Webber, 2022
7. Large conferences often result in a declaration/
recommendation on MIL e.g.
• Paris Agenda-12 Recommendations on MIL (2007)
• Fez Declaration on MIL (2011)
• Moscow Declaration on MIL (2012)
• Framework and Action Plan of the Global Alliance for Partnerships on MIL (2013)
• Paris Declaration on MIL in the Digital Age (2014)
• Riga Recommendations on MIL in a Shifting Media and Information Landscape (2016)
• Global Framework for Media and Information Literacy Cities (MIL Cities) (2019)
• Seoul Declaration on Media and Information Literacy for Everyone and by Everyone: A
Defence against Disinfodemics (2020)
• The draft programme for 2022 Global MIL Week conference in Nigeria closes with
Abuja Declaration on Global Financing for Media and Information Literacy: An
imperative to fight against disinformation and build trust
Sheila Webber, 2022
8. “UNESCO currently holds the global intellectual lead in the MIL arena. The
Organization is recognized by a large number of Member States and key MIL
partners and stakeholders as the main policy influencer, as it developed or
influenced strategies across the world (including in France, Canada, the
Philippines, Nigeria and Jordan). It is recognized as such not only by Member
States but also by other multilateral organisations like the European Union.
“However, whilst recognizing UNESCO’s intellectual leadership, other
organisations are currently prominent with regard to implementation of MIL
projects, with the constant risk that Member States’ focus may deviate from the
composite articulation of MIL promoted by UNESCO to other conceptual
meanings of MIL.”
(UNESCO, 2020)
Sheila Webber, 2022
10. Media and Information Literacy Alliance
• Formed in 2013 - Any organisation can join
• International Committee; Some regional committees; Youth Committee;
Thematic Working Groups; News bulletin; Annual MIL awards. Aims are
• “Articulating key strategic partnerships to drive MIL development globally;
• “Enabling the MIL community to speak and address, with a unified voice, critical matters,
including the need for policies;
• “Further deepening the strategy for MIL to be treated as a composite concept by providing a
common platform for MIL-related networks and associations globally that will ensure
convergence of regional and international initiative and amplification of global impact.”
• Named Global Alliance for Partnerships on Media & Information Literacy until 2020
https://en.unesco.org/themes/media-and-information-literacy/gapmil
Sheila Webber, 2022
11. You can join the MIL Alliance
https://en.unesco.org/feedback/join-unesco-media-and-information-literacy-alliance
Sheila Webber, 2022
13. Global Media and Information Literacy Week
Theme for 2022 “Nurturing trust: A Media
and Information Literacy Imperative”
24-31 October: Feature conference in Nigeria
Register your Global MIL week events
https://www.unesco.org/en/media-information-literacy-week
Sheila Webber, 2022
14. Subthemes
• Promoting media and information literacy as a viable development intervention to nurture trust, social
protection, and solidarity: Ensuring that MIL learning stimulates an understanding of dialogue for transparency
and ethics relating to: governments; digital communications platforms; media; other businesses and
institutions; NGOs; Groups of people from other cultures, ethnicities, religions, social and economic
background, sexual orientation, gender, etc.
• Accelerating the pace of people’s access to media and information literacy in parallel to universal digital
connectivity.
• Promoting media and information literacy as a key component for the exercise of fundamental human rights
• Popularizing the new UNESCO resource Global Standards for Media and Information Literacy Curricula
Development Guidelines and the complementary resources Media and Information Literate Citizens: Think
Critically, Click Wisely and the tool Addressing conspiracy theories: what should educators know.
• Developing innovative ways to bridge inequalities in accessing media and information literacy.
• Partnerships and funding to strengthen trust and solidarity in media and information literacy development at
all levels of societies.
• Encouraging and promoting media and information literacy policy at organizational, institutional, national, and
regional levels in ensuring equitable and ethical access to quality information.
Sheila Webber, 2022
16. Media and Information Literacy: Critical-thinking,
Creativity, Literacy, Intercultural, Citizenship,
Knowledge and Sustainability (MIL CLICKS)
https://en.unesco.org/MILCLICKS https://youtu.be/7JyoihAuuKg
Sheila Webber, 2022
18. Five laws of Media and
Information Literacy
(inspired by
Ranganathan’s 5 laws of
Library Science)
https://webarchive.unesco.org/web/20181208202803
/http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/
HQ/CI/CI/pdf/Events/mil_five_laws_english.png
Sheila
Webber,
2022
21. MIL Curriculum
• 2nd edition (2021): much larger (400 pages!) and
aimed at citizens, not just teachers
• Multi-author
• 3 themes:
1. Knowledge and understanding of information, media
and digital communications for sustainable
development, peace, and democratic discourses and
social participation
2. Evaluation of content and related institutions
3. Production and use of content.
Sheila
Webber,
2022
22. 7 competencies
1. Understanding the Role of Information, Media, and
Digital;
2. Understanding Content and its Uses.
3. Accessing Information Effectively and Efficiently and
Practicing Ethics
4. Critically Evaluating Information and Information Sources
and Ethical Practices.
5. Applying Digital and Traditional Media Formats.
6. Situating the Sociocultural Context of Information, Media,
and Digital Content.
7. Promoting MIL Among Learners/Citizens and Managing
Required Changes.
Sheila
Webber,
2022
23. 14 modules (main part)
1. Foundation module (introduction).
2. Understanding IT
3. Research, content cycle, digital information processing, intellectual property
4. MIL competencies to tackle hate speech
5. Audience and global citizenship
6. Representation in media and information
7. How media and technology affect content
8. Privacy, data protection and you
9. Internet opportunities and challenges
10. Advertising and MIL
11. AI, Social media and MIL competencies
12. Digital media, games and traditional media
13. Media, technology and the sustainable development goals.
14. Capstone.
Sheila
Webber,
2022
24. Criticisms of MIL initiatives
• Recommendations from the UNESCO (2020) evaluation:
• Strengthen and better utilise UNESCO’s global partnerships networks;
• Develop a communication strategy around UNESCO’s work on MIL;
• Strengthen UNESCO’s foresight function and its role as a laboratory of ideas in the field of MIL;
• Increase interconnectivity with the UN family
• Treating MIL “as a precondition for democracy” - assuming MILiterate people leads to
wise information choices, development, progress & democracy (Haider & Sundin,
2022: 20)
• Doyle (2019) critiques the “5 Laws” raising issues such as whether “information
neutrality” is possible or desirable
• Bias towards Media Literacy: addressing “media” rather than “information” and
focusing on young people, schoolteachers & journalists
Sheila
Webber,
2022
25. Some ways of getting involved
• Join MILA
• Run an event in Global MIL week and register it
• Could any publications be useful in your work?
Sheila
Webber,
2022
27. References
• Doyle, A. (2019). Analyzing the laws of MIL: a Five-step scientific conversation on critical information literacy. Communications in Information Literacy, 13(1),
114-126. https://doi.org/10.15760/comminfolit.2019.13.1.8
• Garner, S. (2005). High-Level Colloquium on Information Literacy and Lifelong Learning: Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Alexandria, Egypt: November 6-9, 2005.
http://eprints.rclis.org/3829/1/alexfinalreport.pdf
• Grizzle, A. et al. (2013). Media and Information Literacy: policy and strategy guidelines. . https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000225606
• Grizzle, A. et al. (2021). Media and information literate citizens: think critically, click wisely! Media & information literacy curriculum for educators and
learners. ISBN 978-92-3-100448-3. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000377068.locale=en
• Haider, J. & Sundin, O. (2022). Paradoxes of media and information literacy: the crisis of information. Routledge.
• UNESCO. (2005). Beacons of the Information Society: The Alexandria Proclamation on Information Literacy and Lifelong Learning.
https://www.ifla.org/publications/beacons-of-the-information-society-the-alexandria-proclamation-on-information-literacy-and-lifelong-learning/
• UNESCO. (2020). Evaluation of UNESCO’s work in the thematic area of media and information literacy (MIL).
https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000374972
• UNESCO. (2022). Global Standards for Media and Information Literacy Curricula Development Guidelines.
https://www.unesco.org/sites/default/files/medias/files/2022/02/Global%20Standards%20for%20Media%20and%20Information%20Literacy%20Curricula%20
Development%20Guidelines_EN.pdf
• UNESCO. (2019). Global Framework for Media and Information Literacy Cities (MIL Cities).
• UNESCO Communication and Information Sector. (2013). Global Media and Information Literacy Assessment Framework: country readiness and
competencies. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000224655
• UNESCO Section for Global Citizenship and Peace Education. (2022). Addressing conspiracy theories: what teachers need to know.
https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000381958
• Owens-Ibie, N. (Ed) (2019). Media and information literacy: non-formal education guide for all platforms.
https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000372417
• Yanaze, M. & Chibás, F. (2020). From smart cities to MIL cities.
https://www.academia.edu/43369259/FROM_SMART_CITIES_TO_MIL_CITIES_Metrics_inspired_by_the_vision_of_UNESCO
Sheila
Webber,
2022