#PlayAPart: Join the global movement for media and information literacy
Every year from 24 – 30 October, UNESCO and partners commemorate Global Media and Information Literacy Week (MIL). A calendar highlight for the global MIL community, the week is dedicated to mobilising worldwide stakeholders to raise awareness and will be marked by eight flagship events across different regions, each highlighting the role of a particular group in advancing MIL.
This year marks the 15th iteration of Global MIL Week. Moving away from a single global conference, the initiative is now decentralised to foster regional and thematic events worldwide, driving a more participatory approach.
This year’s theme: “We All Play a Part – Media and Information Literacy for the People,” recognises and highlights that advancing media and information literacy is a shared commitment that depends on the contributions of all sectors of society.
UNESCO is encouraging a global conversation between teachers, content creators, families, young people, governments and technology companies.
They are also calling out to the news media industry to join other prominent journalists like Christiane Amanpour, CNN’s Chief International Anchor, in promoting the campaign.
How to participate
Journalists and editors are encouraged to:
- Post about how you use media literacy in producing content.
- Share how you tell the difference between opinion, fact and spin; the specific tools you use to verify AI-generated content.
- Share the impact of people using unfiltered information as fact.
To access ready-to-use social media assets, data, and handles, visit the Global Media and Information Literacy Week Toolkit for Journalists.
By showcasing practical initiatives, fostering cross-sector partnerships, and promoting knowledge exchange across regions, Global MIL Week 2026 aims to ”strengthen international cooperation and highlight how collective action can advance media and information literacy for everyone.”
What is MIL?
Media and Information Literacy (MIL) equips people with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to critically engage with information and media, make informed decisions and participate meaningfully in society. MIL has long required action across education, media, public policy and communities. Today, as digital platforms, algorithmic systems and artificial intelligence transform how information is produced, accessed and shared, this whole-of-society dimension of MIL has become even more important.
About MIL Week
The UN General Assembly resolved to commemorate Global Media and Information Literacy Week in March 2021, “to emphasise the need for factual, timely, targeted, clear, accessible, multilingual and science-based information.” The resolution acknowledges that “the significant digital divide and data disparities between countries and within them, can be addressed in part by enhancing people’s competencies to seek, receive and share information in the digital realm.”
Through a series of interconnected activities, MIL Week engages policymakers, educators, researchers, journalists, youth, digital content creators, regulators, parents, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders to address today’s most pressing information challenges.
