News & Event

The three-day sub-regional forum on media and information literacy (Empowering Minds in the Age of Artificial Intelligence), organized by the Ministry of Education, represented by the Omani National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, and the UNESCO Regional Office for the Gulf States and Yemen in Doha, in cooperation with the Ministry of Information and in partnership with ICESCO and ALECSO, concluded with several recommendations, most notably: preparing a guide for media and information literacy; forming a multi-sectoral working group for cooperation and exchange of expertise between government agencies, the private sector, academic institutions, and civil society to follow up on the implementation of the roadmap for media and information literacy; expanding capacity-building programs for teachers, students, parents, media professionals, and content creators; encouraging the ethical and responsible use of digital technologies; raising awareness of the dangers of misleading and machine-generated content; strengthening partnerships with international organizations (UNESCO, ICESCO, ALECSO) to develop joint training and academic programs; and supporting scientific research in the fields of media and artificial intelligence.

The second day of the forum featured four working sessions. The first, titled "Empowering Minds in the Age of Artificial Intelligence," focused on education and the educational integration of media and information literacy in the age of artificial intelligence, the role of religious discourse in enhancing awareness and media literacy in the face of misinformation and disinformation, and Sultan Qaboos University's experience in integrating a media literacy curriculum. A number of Omani content creators participated in the second working session, titled "Future Makers," to discuss empowering youth and content creators in the field of enhancing media and information literacy.

The third working session was titled: "Artificial Intelligence Applications in Editing Responsible Media Content." Participants discussed the deliberate absence of media literacy and the Ministry of Education's contributions to employing artificial intelligence applications in developing the educational process. The fourth session focused on a comprehensive digital future with opportunities and integration in the age of artificial intelligence. It was chaired by Dr. Bassem Al-Tawisi, Professor of Journalism and Media Studies from the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Dr. Mohammed Al-Jamni, Director of the Department of Communication and Information Technology at ALECSO, Nabila Al-Maki, Vice Dean for Academic Affairs at Majan College, Al-Fahim Ben Al-Kafi Boukadous, Executive Director of the National Union of Journalists in Tunisia, and Dr. Ziad Abu Shamaa, Director of the Department of Media and Communication at ISESCO, participated in the session.

The final day of the forum included specialized workshops on strategies for enhancing media and information literacy. The workshops focused on measuring awareness of media and information literacy, preparing a practical guide for media and information literacy, and future steps to enhance media and information literacy.

The forum targeted teachers, supervisors, and curriculum designers in school education institutions, academics and media students in higher education institutions, journalists and editors in various media outlets, and employees in communication and media departments and sections in administrative institutions, the private sector, and civil society. Its working papers were presented by researchers and specialists in media and digital space from the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Information, the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs, Sultan Qaboos University, the Royal Oman Police, the Electronic Defense Center, the Public Prosecution, and academics from higher education institutions.

The forum aimed to introduce the concept of media and information literacy (MIL), highlight UNESCO's role in enhancing users' awareness of their rights in the digital space, fostering ethical digital behavior, promoting the conscious use of information, and distinguishing between reliable and misleading information, given the growing role of artificial intelligence and generative technologies. The forum also aimed to exchange experiences and successful practices in MIL, raise awareness of digital challenges, discuss the role of national and regional policies in supporting media awareness, and highlight the relationship between artificial intelligence, generative AI, and media and information.