UNESCO media and information literacy expert Alton Grizzle, PhD, gave a public lecture and discussion titled “MIL Cities for Enlightened Citizens: A Mass Civic Engagement Renewing” on Wednesday, November 4, at the University of Dubrovnik. Its central topics included the development of media and information literate cities, changes in the way people consume media and the promotion of active citizenship.
Speaking about UNESCO’s MIL Cities – Media and Information Literacy Cities initiative, Grizzle presented it as an innovative approach to bringing media and information literacy learning into the physical and virtual spaces of a city. He pointed out that, through this concept, cities become classrooms. The approach is put into practice through cooperation among different stakeholders, from institutions, organizations and the media to private companies, so that media and information literacy reaches people of all generations and becomes part of their everyday lives. He explained that developing such cities goes beyond access to technology and information, and means empowering citizens to understand, critically evaluate and responsibly use them.
During the interactive session, Grizzle spoke about the need for each individual to change the way they think, explaining the importance of socialization, social learning and social communication. He also highlighted critical thinking and social and emotional competencies as important prerequisites for developing media and information literate communities.
Through the discussion, which brought together students, members of the Dubrovnik MIL City Coordination Committee, members of the academic community and the interested public, the lecture once again raised the question of the responsibility that educational institutions, local communities, the media and citizens themselves bear in developing media and information literacy. At a time marked by rapid technological change, artificial intelligence and an increasingly complex information environment, media and information literacy is one of the key competencies of modern society.
The lecture was held as part of the MIL Cities initiative program, whose central global event on November 3 connected Dubrovnik with cities in different parts of the world. The program included a series of educational and interactive activities for citizens, students and visitors. The activities were prepared jointly by the City of Dubrovnik and the University of Dubrovnik, with the participation of cultural, heritage and educational institutions, city utility and other companies, the media and other local stakeholders. The University of Dubrovnik’s Faculty of Media and Public Relations is also part of the broader effort to promote media and information literacy, contributing to its development and recognition through its institutional project eDUres-MIL.
