This annual event is led by UNESCO and the United Nation Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) in connection with the Global Alliance for Partnerships on Media and Information Literacy (GAPMIL) and the Media and Information and Intercultural Dialogue University Network (MILID University Network).  

At the conference this year, the GAPMIL International Media and Information Literacy Award will be launched. The UNESCO-initiated GAPMIL will be awarding its first International MIL Awards to Jad Melki, founder of the Media and Digital Literacy Academy of Beirut (Lebanon), and Tessa Jolls, Executive Director of the Center for Media Literacy (USA). The International MIL Award is supported by UNESCO and UNAOC.

For the fifth time, MIL Week will be uniting diverse actors committed to promoting media and information literacy as a way to foster social inclusion, intercultural and interreligious dialogue. Stakeholders, including universities, associations, practitioners, research groups, teachers as well as media, information and technology specialists from all around the world, will attend to give momentum to the dialogue at a global level.

UNESCO and partners are inviting stakeholders all over the world to organize local initiatives online or offline. A special focus could be given to youth and their role in global dialogue and peace. Please see the 10 Ways to Celebrate Global MIL Week 2015.

The main conference will be held at the Philadelphia Westin Hotel in the heart of Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love. The theme for the 2015 MIL Conference is Celebrating Connectivity across Cultures.

Through the efforts of UNESCO, UNAOC, the Nordic Information Centre for Media and Communication Research (NORDICOM), and the MILID University Network, a MILID Yearbook was published in 2013 and 2014. The 2015 MILID Yearbook will be officially released at the conference, with the title MIL for Sustainable Development Goals.

The Global MIL Week 2016 will be planned during the conference, which will take place in Brazil. Please visit our website for updates.  

The MILID University Network is the research arm of the Global Alliance for Partnerships in MIL (GAPMIL). GAPMIL was designed to push for media and information literacy for all, to raise global awareness and to jointly develop and implement concrete MIL initiatives in line with its Framework and Plan of Action. Follow the link to read more and to join GAPMIL.