The National Centre of Audiovisual Media & Communication – EKOME SA celebrated the 1st EU Media Literacy Week with a series of awareness and intervention actions towards a media informed citizen. Actions that ran throughout the week of 18-22 March follow below
Week 18-22 March: Media Literacy Week Awareness Campaign
EKOME ran a media literacy week awareness campaign through its social media with reports on events, actions and news that highlight the importance of media literacy for an informed citizenship against disinformation. In the same context, Panos Kouanis, President and CEO of EKOME contributed with an article on media literacy, in the media academic Journal “Dimosiografia” (Issue 19, March 19th) introducing its actions and strategy on the audiovisual and media industry . The Journal is published by Advanced Media Institute, as the Greek version of US Journal “Columbia Journalism Review”.
Monday, March 18th: Educational School Visit Program
EKOME launched a pilot school visits program where students of primary and secondary schools are guided to read text, image and sound with a critical eye, in order to be be informed and approach information society through media literacy. The program kicked off with the first school visit from the “Art Gymnasium of Drapetsona”, from secondary education. 16 students had the chance to watch a short documentary film on modern Greek history and contemplate on its inner meanings and structure. Moreover, they benefited from the visit to the Hellenic Ministry of Digital Policy, Telecommunications and Media library’s archives that helped them plan their own audiovisual creation. The students were excited about the visit and expressed their wish to repeat it sometime in the future.
Tuesday, March 19: EU Media Literacy High-Level Conference
EKOME participated in the EU Media Literacy High-Level conference “Informed Citizens in the Digital Age”, in Brussels, organized by the European Commission and hosted by the Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society, Mariya Gabriel. The conference was the kick – off public event of the 1st EU Media Literacy Week in the context of awareness raising actions for informed decisions in the digital age. The conference brought together experts from the public and private sector from across the EU who debated on the topic and presented good practices of media literacy. In addition, panelists exchanged views on innovations in the media sector and the role of quality media content with regards to the new AVMSD 2010/13/EC.
Wednesday, March 20: EU Media Literacy Expert Group meeting
In the context of international networking and agenda setting, ΕΚΟΜΕ attended the Media Literacy Expert Group, organized by the Digital Single Market in Brussels. EKOME’s representative from Research, Studies and Educational Programs Department, Irene Andriopoulou, pointed out the importance of treating media literacy as a holistic, umbrella concept and put forward suggestions for the most effective operation of the communication tools of the European Commission, in the field of media literacy.
Tuesday, March 26th: Book on Media Literacy Presentation
EKOME was among the co-hosts of the presentation of the book “Media Literacy: In search of its Meaning and Functions” (2018), published by Advanced Media Institute, a media research organization based in Cyprus. The book presentation, organized by the Ministry of Digital Policy, Telecommunications and Media and Advanced Media Institute took place on Tuesday, March 26th in the Conference Centre of the Ministry, and was followed by an open discourse among acclaimed media professionals and experts in the field on media literacy, discussing its critical role in the information age.
Student Contest on Media and Information Literacy (2018-2019)
In the same context, EKOME is among the co-organizers of the 1st student contest under the title “Your Story is your Hometown’s Story” with the Department of Educational Radiotelevision & Digital Media of the Ministry of Education, the General Library Council and the Faculty of Archivist, Librarians and Museums of Ionian University. The initiative is part of the newly-formed UNESCO GAPMIL European Sub-chapter Mediterranean Group, coordinated by EKOME. In the first year of implementation (school year 2018-2019), students of secondary education are invited to practice the creative and narrative use of user generated content (own short films, digital products) at the same time taking part in the preservation of historical evidence and archives, cultivate their research skills, implement critical thinking and have a hands-on experience on the educational method of media literacy.
See full EKOME contribution to the 1st EU Media Literacy Week in the EU Repository.
For further information please contact: educate@ekkomed.gr