Commemorated every year on 24 – 31 October, Global Media and Information Literacy Week is a major occasion for mobilizing worldwide stakeholders to raise awareness, increase national take-up and celebrate the progress achieved towards Media and Information Literacy for all.
Global Media and Information Literacy Week is an annual event observed from 24th to 31st October to raise awareness and celebrate the progress achieved towards Media and Information Literacy for all.
In 2021, the UN General Assembly decided to commemorate Global Media and Information Literacy Week, to emphasize the need for factual, timely, targeted, clear, accessible, multilingual and science-based information. The resolution acknowledges that the significant digital divide and data disparities between countries and within them, can be addressed in part by enhancing people’s competencies to seek, receive and share information in the digital realm.
During Global Media and Information Literacy Week, stakeholders around the world organize events and UNESCO co-hosts with a Member State the global conference gathering the Media and Information Literacy community.
👉Theme 2026 :
“We All Play a Part – Media and Information Literacy for the People”.
✅What is Media and Information Literacy ?
Media and Information Literacy encompasses various competencies that enable individuals and groups to navigate today’s information and communications environment. It covers a large spectrum of knowledge, skills, attitudes and values to better search, access, critically evaluate, use and contribute to information and media content.
Thereby, Media and Information Literacy enables the purposeful and creative use of digital technology and empowers all users through enhancing their knowledge of their online and digital rights, as well of the ethical issues surrounding access to and use of information. Media and information literate citizens are equipped to engage more effectively in dialogue, freedom of expression, access to information, gender equality, diversity, peace, and sustainable development.
👉Key :
Media and Information Literacy is key to address the challenges of the 21st century including the proliferation of mis- and disinformation and hate speech, the decline of trust in media and the transformative impact of digital innovations notably Artificial Intelligence.
This year's Global Media and Information Literacy Week adopts a decentralized and participatory approach, bringing together regional and thematic events organized by UNESCO offices and partners across the world.
Through a series of interconnected activities, the Week will engage policymakers, educators, researchers, journalists, youth, digital content creators, regulators, parents, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders to address today's most pressing information challenges.
via Google Images Archive
🏫Education
"Everyone has a role to play in advancing media and information literacy and building a more informed, inclusive and empowered society."
Mariya Gabriel, Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information at UNESCO
You can spot the difference between fake, fact and bias – but can your students ?
Media and Information Literacy is no longer the responsibility of schools alone. We all play a part. But schools have their role !
👩👨Our mission as teachers:
Don’t just read the news… investigate it! Download the special media literacy poster and fact-finding mission to sharpen your kids’ skills in sorting fact from fake.
👀All you need to teach media and information literacy (MIL) across the curriculum!
👉Test what your student haven learnt with these conversation starters:
- What’s one thing you could do to check if a story is true?
How do you know if something you see online is real or made by AI?
- Can you think of a time when a video, meme, or article tried to make people feel a certain way?
👀Build a regular reading habit
Fresh stories, sport, science and puzzles give pupils a timely reason to read every week.
📰Choose the right format
Use Print Newspaper copies for shared reading, or First News Digital to give every pupil their own login and reading tools that work for them.
👦👧Create shared context
One trusted news source can support classroom discussion, tutor time, assemblies and independent reading.
Media and Information Literacy is no longer the responsibility of schools alone. We all play a part.
In a world shaped by artificial intelligence, digital platforms and an unprecedented flow of information, we all have a role to play in helping people navigate information critically, confidently and ethically.
However the role of teachers is including into curricula some news, facts, fake lecture exercises.
💬Activities :
Ask your students to distinguish between true and fake news by giving them some exercises by reading printed newspapers and digital fake news.
You can also ask some students to write a new one based on a true new and others to invent a fake one, using AI or not. Then ask them to distinguish both in the classroom.
I's a work you can do all over the year when you think it's important to the students.
"Our actions shape the information environments we live in. Together, we can build healthier, more inclusive and resilient information ecosystems."
G-S
11.11.2026
Schools : Global Media and Information Literacy Week 2026 : #WeAllPlayAPart ! by G-Souto is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-oDerivatives 4.0 International License
Sources : UN/ UNESCO/ First News
