Tag: UNESCO

New resources to counter COVID-19 conspiracy theories through critical thinking and empathy

Stuart Mitchell

UNESCO, in cooperation with the European Commission recently launched a series of easily accessible and comprehensive visual learning resources to raise awareness of the existence and consequences of conspiracy theories linked to the COVID-19 crisis. The resources also address how to recognize conspiracy theories, understand what drives them, refute them with facts and respond effectively to those who are spreading them. The COVID-19 pandemic has unleashed a parallel pandemic of dangerous misinformation and rumours in the form of conspiracy theories, including far-fetched explanations of the origins of the virus, how…

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Call for Slogan Campaigns under the theme of Creating a Peaceful Society: Media and Information Literacy, A Way out

Stuart Mitchell

The 2020 Global Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Week will take place on Oct. 24-31, 2020 under the theme “Creating a Peaceful Society: Media and Information Literacy, A Way out” for regional commemoration. This year’s theme highlights how to address disinformation and divides by recognizing our shared interest in improving everyone’s competencies to engage with the opportunities and risks in today’s landscape of communication, technology, and information. In line with the global commemoration, UNESCO Abuja Regional Office is organizing a series of activities on promoting MIL into a broader population…

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UNESCO partners with other UN agencies to strengthen the work to counter the COVID-19 infodemic

Stuart Mitchell

Hundreds of millions of people worldwide will be better able to spot the difference between information and misinformation about COVID-19, as a result of a new co-operation within the UN system. Through combining strengths, we are rolling out a concerted push. Together, this will help to monitor misinformation, and empower people to recognize falsehoods – and at the same time, increase people’s access to accurate information. Tim Nguyen, Unit Head for High Impact Events Preparedness,WHO The co-operation is supported by a grant of $4.5m from the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund. The…

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UN Global Compact and UNESCO’s IOC Join Forces to Advance Science-based Sustainable Ocean Business

Stuart Mitchell

The UN Global Compact has renewed its commitment to advancing science-based sustainable ocean business by signing a letter of intent with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (UNESCO’s IOC), the UN agency charged with the preparation of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. The UN Global Compact’s Action Platform for Sustainable Ocean Business will play a key role in mobilizing the private sector in the upcoming UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. Scheduled to start in 2021, the Ocean Decade…

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UNESCO and partners in education launch global campaign to keep girls in the picture

Stuart Mitchell

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused the largest school closures and education disruption in history, with more than 1.5 billion students affected at the height of the crisis. Over 767 million of these students were girls. Now, another major challenge is looming. Over 11 million girls – from pre-primary to tertiary education – may not return to school in 2020. This alarming number not only threatens decades of progress made towards gender equality, but also puts girls around the world at risk of adolescent pregnancy, early and forced marriage, and violence.…

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