The second Media Meets Literacy (MML) conference, organized by the Evens Foundation and its partners, will be focusing on this crucial question of our time. Gathering in Sarajevo in September 2017, media literacy professionals from all over Europe will explore the huge challenges of our rapidly changing media world.

 

 

The conference is aimed at reinforcing dialogue, cooperation and partnerships between the education and training sector and the media sector, as well as other relevant stakeholders, including civil society and youth organizations.

 

The effective development of media literacy and critical thinking calls for a multi-disciplinary approach. The Evens Foundation wants to recall the important role that non-formal and informal learning can play in this regard.

 

The Paris Declaration states that it is crucial to strengthen children’s and young people’s ability to think critically and exercise judgement so that, particularly in the context of the Internet and social media, they are able to grasp realities, distinguish fact from opinion, recognize propaganda, and resist all forms of indoctrination and hate speech.

 

The Internet offers unprecedented, almost limitless opportunities for sharing knowledge and ideas. It provides instant access to vast amounts of information, as well as to a wide range of sources. These can have a powerful impact on opinions, attitudes and perceptions. They also offer everyone a platform to create, share and publish content themselves, thus helping to unlock talent, foster creativity and promote innovation.

 

 

To remain relevant, it is crucial that education and training staff at all levels keep pace with these rapid developments, and provide learners with the competences and values needed to access, interpret, produce and use information and other media content in a safe and responsible manner.

 

Bearing all this in mind, the Evens Foundation believes it is crucial that attention be paid to developing media literacy and critical thinking in education and training at all levels, including through citizenship and media education.

 

The conference is preceded by the Propaganda Lab: Seminars on Contemporary Propaganda (19-20 September 2017).

 

Media Meets Literacy in Sarajevo is The Evens Foundation initiative, implemented in partnership with Mediacentar Sarajevo and Konrad Adenauer Stiftung.

 

The Evens Foundation is a public benefit foundation based in Antwerp, Belgium and with offices in Paris and Warsaw. The Evens Foundation initiates and supports sustainable projects, and awards biennial prizes, that contribute to the progress and strengthening of Europe based on cultural and social diversity. To promote harmonious living together, the Evens Foundation aims to stimulate efforts to increase media literacy - by raising critical awareness, which implies comprehension and cultural awareness, and by encouraging media creativity. Both of these contribute to the development of highly aware, active and responsible citizens. The Evens Foundation’s media program focuses on learning about the media, with media literacy as an expected outcome. It aims to develop both critical understanding of the media and active participation in the media (production). The Evens Foundation focuses on supporting projects that "empower citizens with the critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills to make them judicious consumers and producers of information (...)." In addition, the Evens Prize for Media Education is awarded biennially.

 

Media Meets Literacy conference is free of charge, by registration only. Propaganda Lab is free of charge is free of charge only for those who are registered to and will attend Media Meets Literacy conference 2017 in Sarajevo. In other case, Propaganda Lab fee is 150 Euro.

 

Complete agenda of the conference is available on the official website.