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Ammon News - Minister of State for Media Affairs, and government spokesperson, Sakher Dudin, patronized Monday the "Let’s Start Digital Media and Information Education 2021" teleconference, organized by the Irbid-based Protection of Family and Childhood Association (PFCA), in cooperation with the Deutsche Welle Academy.

In an opening speech, Dudin stressed the importance of promoting the concept of media and information literacy in light of the massive and ongoing development in communication technologies, and the large amount of information flowing through cyberspace, social networking sites and media.

This requires, he said, promoting an appropriate culture to deal technological advancements, enabling individuals to reject rumors, refuting fake news, and enhancing their critical thinking skills.

Individuals, he pointed out, obtain information mostly from social networking sites, saying: "These tools became the most influential on their thoughts and behaviors." The state minister highlighted the need to promote awareness among the community on how to deal with them, and employ them positively to serve individuals and societies.

He pointed to His Majesty King Abdullah II's vision for social media platforms to be "a voice for us and unprecedented opportunities for communication, through which we shed light on crucial issues and discuss them through a constructive dialogue."

He also pointed out the importance of media and information education in training generations against many societal dangers, which are partly promoted by technological development and the spread of social networking sites, such as extremism, hatred, extortion, character assassination and other wrongdoings. He said such dangers, and means to address them, must be publicized.

He stressed the importance of media education in familiarizing individuals about laws and legislation to avoid certain illegal practices, such as abuse and defamation, which are often committed due to ignorance of laws.

Dudin lauded the efforts exerted by the organizers of this conference, noting that they are in line with the national efforts aimed at cementing the concept of media and information education skills to enhance awareness among individuals and serve society. He underscored the government's commitment to partnering and cooperating with such creative initiatives to benefit the Jordanian society.

The opening session of the two-day conference included speeches by the President of the PFCA, Kazem al-Kafiri, Director of the Deutsche Welle Academy, Carsten von Nahmen, and the Head of the Culture and Media Department at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, Leonie Lorenz.

The conference includes sessions and workshops presented by educators and teachers from different schools, certified trainers in the field of media and information education, supervisors of youth centers and representatives of youth civil society institutions from the Irbid Governorate.

The conference aims at cementing skills and interactive educational methods among workers in the educational and youth sectors in Irbid.

(Petra)