The objective of this meeting will be to shine the spotlight on the importance of media and information literate citizenries to foster inter-cultural dialogue and mutual understanding. This year debates will revolve around topics such as empowering citizenship through MILID, promoting youth media and intercultural dialogue, strengthening of the Arab States chapter of the International Young Journalists, Information Specialists and Researchers’ Network on MILID (IYJIR-MILID), the mobilization of commitment around the development of an international intercultural MIL Multimedia Teaching Resource Tool, and gradual expansion of the MILID Network.

The second MILID Week will be launched by Egyptian Ministers of Information and Culture. More than 150 participants from all over will take part in this important event. This reflects the value and importance of event which will help to foster collaboration and intercultural dialogue among the network members. The MILID Week brings scholars and people from different geographical areas to talk and understand more about each other.

MILID Week 2013 will also feature a training workshop on MILID for young journalists, information specialists and researchers from different countries. The first workshop was organized with the support of UNESCO in January 2013 in Cairo University. A key outcome was the setting up of the Arab Chapter of the IYJIR-MILID.

MILID Week 2013 will open with remarks from the Minister of Information, the Minister of Culture, President of the Cairo University and President of the Arab Academy among other dignitaries. During the event the debut MILID Yearbook will be launched. Furthermore, the conference will validate a MIL Kit for MENA countries which was undertaken through a partnership between UNESCO Cairo Office and the Cairo University. The MIL Kit is based on the UNESCO MIL Curriculum for Teachers, taking into consideration local specificities and relevance.

The initiative is planned within the framework of the University Twinning and Networking Programme (UNITWIN) Cooperation on Media and Information Literacy and brings together a network of eight member universities ensuring diverse cultural experiences:  Autonomous University of Barcelona (Spain), Cairo University (Egypt), University of the West Indies (Jamaica), University of São Paulo (Brazil), Temple University (United States), Tsinghua University (China), Queensland University of Technology (Australia), University Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah (Morocco) and many other associate member universities who are involved in MIL and intercultural dialogue.

Last year, the first MILID Week (watch official video) was hosted by the Autonomous University of Barcelona in association with the International Association on Media Education (MENTOR) and other members of UNESCO-UNAOC MILID. Participants agreed on a concrete plan of action which includes carrying out relevant research, launch an international online MIL course, an international Doctoral programme on MIL and intercultural dialogue and adaptation of the model MIL Curriculum for Teachers published by UNESCO.

UNESCO and the MILID Network thank our key partners who make this event possible, the Government of Saudi Arabia, Swedish International Development Agency, the University of Cairo, the Autonomous University of Barcelona,  the Nordic Centre for Information and Communication Research (NORDICOM), and Mentor Association for Media Education.

This event supported by UNESCO has a deeper purpose than what may be evident on the surface.  It is a part of UNESCO’s global strategy (click to view), harmonizing close to 40 years of work (watch video), to address MIL as composite concept for greater impact on civic participation, intercultural dialogue, sustainable development, peace, democracy and good governance.