Minister Grange welcomes proclamation of Global Media & Information Literacy Week, 24-31 October

The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a resolution proclaiming October 24-31 each year as the Global Media & Information Literacy Week. The idea for declaration of the GMIL week within the United nations system was first proposed by the Hon Minister Olivia Grange. The proposal was previously accepted by UNESCO’s Executive Board and by its Commission on Communication and Information.
Minister Grange said she was very happy that a draft resolution was adopted by consensus during a meeting of the UN General Assembly last week in New York. 100 member states cosponsored the GMIL week resolution.
She said the proclamation of the GMIL week was “quite timely” adding that “it will help to address the spread and proliferation of disinformation and misinformation which we have seen, especially in regard to the COVID-19 pandemic”.
Making her case at the UNESCO General Conference in 2019, Minister Grange argued that a global declaration and celebration of media and information literacy week would bring attention to an encourage action to ensure that citizens have the skills to critically analyze and use media and information.
The Secretary General of the Jamaican National Commission for UNESCO, Everton Hannam, said it is “really a significant achievement that Jamaica, a Small Island Developing State, has led the process for the proclamation of GMI week”. Congratulations to Min Grange and the Jamaican delegation to UNESCO and the UN who made it a reality”.