Media and Information Literacy Cities Empowering people and information cultures

People are increasing reliant on information, digital technologies, and media as they go about their daily lives and engage in cultural exchanges within cities. Whether they are using public transportation, healthcare facilities or going out for entertainment, information and messages from electronic/billboards, signs, posters, music, and digital apparels are just everywhere. Yet through technology mediated interactions and experiences people sometimes encounter gender stereotypical, discriminatory or racist information which hampers cultural understanding and peace. Media and information literacy helps people to more consciously and wisely read their world, cities, and informational social interaction therein – getting involved in solutions to countering the challenges and heightening cultural diversity and community cohesion.

Media and Information Literacy Cities is an innovative way to promote media and information literacy learning in physical and virtual cities’ spaces through cooperation with key local public and private actors (for example health, transportation, entertainment, construction industries, city developers, municipalities, local government, mayors’ networks, election authorities, media, digital platforms, regulators, etc. ) and central stakeholders (schools, libraries, community centers, universities, NGOs among others) of media and information literacy policies.

It is built on the premise of cities as learning spaces. Cities are central to the future that we want. Modern cities are built not only of mortar and steel but also of information, cultures, and digital technologies and media. Media and Information Literacy is the compass to help navigate the information and digitally driven cities of the future.