Leadership (Abuja)
Christiana Esebonu
29 July 2008
The Youth Media and Communication Initiative (YMCI) in collaboration with National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) and the British Council, Nigeria, is to begin its first Africa Media Literacy Conference today.
According to the group, the conference, tagged, "A tool for Youth Empowerment, Democratic Engagement and National Development," is aimed at creating conditions that would promote sustainable media education in Africa. Adding that the event is scheduled to take place at the Ladi Kwali Conference Centre, Abuja Sheraton Hotel and Towers.
They further revealed that the conference hopes to develop policy documents that will facilitate the integration of media literacy into schools curriculum and to promote democratic engagement for young people by providing them with the needed tools and confidence that will enable them to be active citizens in a progressive and open society amongst others.
They stressed the need for government, institutions, and the general public to attend the conference, as topics to be discussed include media literacy and national development; the challenges for children, and youth, understanding media images of females and males. The roles of youth organisations in Africa, as well as media and young people; food advertising, obesity, alcohol, smoking, drug and other problems, would be of immense importance to them in their day-to-day involvement with young people.
In their words: "It is expected that participants will learn practical ways to incorporate media literacy concepts, methods and materials into school, health, and community programmes and learn about media and its impacts on the lifestyles of these children and youths."
They, however, charged government, parents, institutions and the society at large to give voice to children and youths, who ordinarily would not have a voice by demonstrating their commitment to impact the lives of children and youths, who they described as tomorrow's future.
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