Why Nigeria is hosting UNESCO global literacy week – Lai Mohammed

The Federal Government says hosting the 2022 UNESCO Global Media, Information Literacy (MIL) Week, will help to address the growing trend of fake news, misinformation and hate speech.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, stated this on Friday in Abuja at the inauguration of the Local Organising Committee for the event scheduled for Oct. 24 to Oct. 31.

It was reported Nigeria was given the hosting mandate for the the global event last year in Paris.

The minister said the decision to give Nigeria the hosting right was a testament to the fact that the country is a known strong advocate of media and information literacy.

“In 2013, Nigeria successfully hosted the First Global Forum for Partnership on MIL, tagged: Abuja 2013.

“This Forum gave birth to the UNESCO MIL Alliance as well as other initiatives, as part of our collective desire to achieve the Media and
Information Literacy for all and by all.

“Nigeria’s contributions towards the birth and the growth of MIL, especially in the West African Sub-Region, played a large role in UNESCO’s decision to offer our country the right to host this event,” he said.

Mohammed said the theme of 2022 Global MIL week as approved by UNESCO, is: “Nurturing Trust: A Media and Information Literacy Imperative.”

He said the theme highlighted how media and information literacy could help in nurturing trust and countering mistrust.

The minister disclosed that the event, to be held at Sheraton Hotel Abuja, would bring together over 193 UNESCO member countries, who will participate physically and virtually.

He said because the event required serious and meticulous planning, members of the Local Organising Committee were carefully selected.

The minister added that Nigeria being the first country in the West African sub-region to host the event, the committee could not afford to fail or disappoint.

He, therefore, charged committee members to bring their wealth of experience and expertise to play in organising a world-class event.

The minister said the LOC would be assisted by nine sub-committees, to be constituted by the committee in its first meeting.

It was reported that while the minister chairs the 25-member LOC, the Permanent Secretary, Dr Adaora Anyanwutaku, is to serve as the Vice Chairman.

Other members of the committee were drawn from various sectors and agencies, including the public and private sector, academia, security and the media.

Anyanwutaku, in a closing remarks thanked the minister for giving the members the opportunity to serve in the committee.