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Ammon News - Mayor of Amman Yousef Shawarbeh met with UNESCO's Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information, Tawfik Jelassi, to discuss cities' roles in promoting media and information literacy.

Their meeting took place on the sidelines of the Global Media and Information Literacy Week conference in Amman, marking Jordan as the first Arab country to host this international event.

Shawarbeh highlighted Amman’s commitment to fostering media and information awareness, emphasizing the city's pivotal role in disseminating accurate information. "Hosting this conference in Amman underscores our city's dedication to advancing media literacy and guiding the public on critical media issues," Shawarbeh stated.

He expressed optimism that the conference would result in actionable recommendations and contribute to building a robust media infrastructure that benefits the wider community.

Addressing the influence of social media, Shawarbeh noted the growing spread of misinformation, which has fostered negativity in society. He called for stronger measures to regulate online content and emphasized the importance of educating local communities particularly the youth about the dangers of misleading information.

Shawarbeh affirmed the Greater Amman Municipality's (GAM) readiness to support UNESCO’s initiatives by promoting media literacy across the city. He announced that GAM has recently published an updated version of UNESCO’s operational guide on building media-literate cities. This guide, aimed at enhancing media literacy, will be distributed to Arab capitals through the Arab Towns Organization.

Jelassi underscored the significance of expanding cooperation with Amman, recognizing the critical role that cities play in media literacy advocacy.

He praised Jordan’s leadership in media education and reiterated UNESCO’s commitment to partnering with GAM in furthering media and information literacy campaigns.


Petra