MUSCAT: The Sub-Regional Forum on Media and Information Literacy, titled 'Empowering Minds in the Age of Artificial Intelligence', concluded with significant recommendations, including the development of a Media and Information Literacy guidebook and the establishment of a cross-sectoral task force.
This working group will coordinate the implementation of the MIL road map through collaboration between government agencies, private sector entities, academic institutions and civil society organisations.
During the three-day event organised by the Ministry of Education in cooperation with the Ministry of Information, in partnership with ICESCO and ALECSO, participants advocated for expanded capacity-building initiatives targeting educators, students, parents, media professionals and content creators, while emphasising ethical and responsible utilisation of digital technologies.
The forum highlighted critical needs, including public awareness campaigns addressing misinformation and AI-generated content risks, strengthened partnerships with international organisations (Unesco, ICESCO, ALECSO) to develop joint training and academic programmes, and enhanced support for scientific research at the intersection of media and artificial intelligence.
The final day's proceedings featured specialised working sessions focused on MIL enhancement strategies, addressing awareness measurement methodologies, practical guide development and future advancement road maps.
The forum engaged diverse stakeholders, including school teachers, curriculum supervisors and designers, higher education faculty and media students, journalists and editors from various media organisations, plus communication professionals from government, private sector and civil society institutions.
Expert presentations were delivered by specialists from multiple institutions, including the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Information, Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs, Sultan Qaboos University, Royal Oman Police, Cyber Defence Centre, Public Prosecution, and several higher education establishments.
Primary forum objectives included establishing a foundational understanding of MIL concepts, highlighting Unesco's role in promoting digital citizenship and ethical online behaviour, developing critical thinking skills for information verification, and addressing challenges presented by advancing AI and generative technologies.
The gathering also facilitated knowledge exchange on successful MIL practices, examined digital challenge awareness, discussed policy frameworks for media awareness, and explored interrelationships between generative AI, media and information ecosystems. - ONA
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