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UNESCO’s regional meeting on ‘bridging the digital divides’ calls for multi-stakeholder cooperation in digital competency development among educators and youth

UNESCO’s regional meeting on ‘bridging the digital divides’ calls for multi-stakeholder cooperation in digital competency development among educators and youth

Today more than ever, we are witnessing a tremendous acceleration of digital transformation, which has received only further impetus recently by the COVID-19 pandemic, with the rapid emergence of new technologies and increased digital connectivity.  

One of the most significantly affected groups is that of youth, who are now connected to and through technology more than ever. At the end of 2019, over 69 percent of the global youth population aged 15 to 24 years were using the internet.  Although it is widely assumed that these ‘digital natives’ are skilled with such technologies, the fact is, many youth still do not have adequate awareness and skills to navigate our increasingly complex digital environment. 

Meanwhile, rising disinformation, hate speech, inequalities, and lack of fairness and transparency have progressively eroded public trust in information, opportunities for peaceful debate, and values of mutual solidarity. The expanding ‘digital divides’ have also meant that traditionally marginalised groups, a condition based on their gender, ethnicity, and/or socio-economic backgrounds are more vulnerable to risks and dangers experienced online.

We now need to promote multi-stakeholder approaches for the development of holistic digital skills that enable young people and all members of society to benefit from the digital transformation, particularly in how they access quality education and meaningful information, and how they participate in civil society

In response to these challenges and opportunities, the UNESCO Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education (UNESCO Bangkok), with financial support from the Korean Funds-in-Trust, will organize a two-day Regional Meeting, ‘Bridging digital divides and empowering youth and educators with digital competencies in the Asia-Pacific’, from 7 to 8 November 2022.

The Meeting will bring together diverse stakeholders from UNESCO, UN agencies, government sectors, educators, telecom and internet companies, media organizations, CSOs, academia and youth representatives from the Asia-Pacific region to share, reflect and learn from one another’s expertise and experiences, and to improve on plans to continue fostering digital competencies in the region and support education recovery and beyond

The overall objectives of the Regional Meeting are to: 
1) Analyse the current digital landscape and challenges of inclusion in the Asia-Pacific region;
2) Share research and successful experiences on interventions for developing digital competencies 
and tackling digital ‘skills divides’ for various groups;
3) Identify good practices for digital citizenship and MIL education; as well as identify priorities of different countries and the responsibilities of different stakeholders;
4) Explore recommendations for updated policies and learning approaches to enable a more equal and literate digital environment which protects human rights;
5) Encourage advocates and champions with strengthened understanding for promoting digital citizenship and integrating MIL into national education systems and local practices; and
6) Contribute a multi-stakeholder consultation process to the Global Digital Compact.

Group photo of participants

Programme
Dates: 7 to 8 November 2022
Format: Onsite meeting by invitation only
Venue: Pullman Bangkok King Power, 8/2 Rangnam Road, Thanonphayathai, Ratchathewi, Bangkok
Language: English

Monday, 7 November 2022

Day 1: Digital transformation and social inclusion in the Asia-Pacific region

08:3009:00

Registration

09:0009:45

Opening ceremony

  • Welcome and opening remarks
    • Shigeru Aoyagi, Director, UNESCO Bangkok
    • Ji-young Park, Director General, International Cooperation Bureau of Ministry of Education of Republic of Korea
  • Overview of the meeting
    • Toan Dang, Programme Officer, Inclusive Quality Education Section, UNESCO Bangkok
  • Ice breaker activity

09:45-10:15

Session 1: Setting the context for digital competency development in the Asia-Pacific region

  • Chair: Toan Dang, Programme Officer, Inclusive Quality Education Section, UNESCO Bangkok

10:15-10:45

Group photo &

Coffee/tea break

10:45-12:00

Session 2: Contextualizing the social inclusion in the digital world: challenges and case studies

Chair:  Clare Stark, UN Coordination Officer, UNESCO PAX

12:00-13:30

Lunch

13:30-14:30

Session 3: Opportunities for expanding equity and inclusion in digital transformation

Chair: Joe Hironaka, Regional Advisor & Chief, Communication and Information Unit, UNESCO Bangkok

  • Q&A

14:30-15:20

Facilitated roundtable discussion

  • Facilitator: Toan Dang, Programme Officer, Inclusive Quality Education Section, UNESCO Bangkok

15:20-15:50

Coffee / Tea break

15:50-16:45

Session 4: Panel discussion on how to support system level changes for promoting a digitally literate society

Moderator: Margarete Sachs-Israel, Chief, Inclusive Quality Education Section, UNESCO Bangkok

  • Lai Cheng Wong, Publications Manager, SEAMEO RECSAM & Co-founder, Media and Information Literacy for ASEAN Network
  • Badamjav Batsukh, Expert of Integrated Educational Policy Planning Department, Ministry of Education and Science, Mongolia
  • Jenelle Babb, Regional Advisor, Education for Health and Wellbeing, UNESCO Bangkok
  • Mengting Luo, Public Relations Manager, Huawei Thailand
  • Q&A

16:45-17:00

Reflection of Day 1

  • Dun Oliver Abiera, Founder, Youth Advocates Building Opportunities and Network in Governance

18:00-20:00

Dinner reception

 

Tuesday, 8 November 2022

Day 2: Mainstreaming digital citizenship and media and information literacy education in the Asia-Pacific region

09:0010:00

Session 5: Promoting digital citizenship and MIL in the Asia-Pacific region

Chair: Robert Parua, Programme Specialist Education, UNESCO Cluster Office in Beijing

10:00-10:30

Coffee/Tea break

10:30-12:00

Session 6: Parallel Track Sessions (by invitation only)

Session 6A: Tackling information disorder and developing digital literacy with inclusive media practices in Southeast Asia

 

6A-1. Solutions to disinformation, misinformation and hate speech: in defense of truth-seeking and peace

Chair & Opening: Joe Hironaka, UNESCO Bangkok

 

 

  • Panel discussion: Case studies & good practices of media organizations, IT companies and CSOs

 

  • Moderator: Sasi-on Kam-on, Communication and Information Unit, UNESCO Bangkok
    • Sophia Xu, Asia-Pacific Regional Digital Training Manager, AFP Fact Check
    • Michael Bäk, Head of Public Policy, Facebook Thailand
    • Rawee Tawantharong, President, Online News Provider Association
    • Supinya Klangnarong, Co-founder, COFACT Thailand
  • Q&A

Session 6B: Enhancing National Capacity to Foster Digital Citizenship Education in Asia-Pacific

 

Chair: Toan Dang, UNESCO Bangkok

 

12:00-13:30

Lunch

13:30-15:10

Session 6A cont’d

 

6A-2. Youth engagement and joint effort for MIL education in Southeast Asian countries

Chair & Opening: Ramon Guillermo R. Tuazon, UNESCO Myanmar Consultant and Media Development Specialist

 

  • Panel discussion: Youth advocates and projects for MIL education
  • Moderator: Ruohan Zhang, Communication and Information Unit, UNESCO Bangkok
    • Sopanant Datta, former MUIC Sigma Club's President, Wikimedia Thailand
    • Stevie Zhang, Associate editor, APAC, Information Futures Lab
    • Dun Oliver Abiera, Founder, Youth Advocates Building Opportunities and Network in Governance
    • Xuan-Ngan Ho Thi, Sustainability and Innovation Projects Manager, Schoolab
  • Feedbacks from the MIL experts from the region
  • Q&A

Session 6B cont’d

 

Looking to the future in supporting teacher ICT-pedagogy integration and digital citizenship

 

Chair: Toan Dang, UNESCO Bangkok

  • Session overview
  • From Policy to Practice: Lessons learned in promoting digital citizenship education
  • Group discussion: exploring new policies and models for ensuring more equal and literate digital environment
  • Q&A

15:10-15:40

Coffee / Tea break

15:40-16:40

Session 7: Policies and approaches for developing digital literacies

  • Chair: Nyi Nyi Thaung, Inclusive Quality Education Section, UNESCO Bangkok
  • Plenary sharing of the parallel track discussions
    • Ramon Guillermo R. Tuazon, Consultant, UNESCO Myanmar
    • Huhua Fan, Programme Specialist, UNESCO Dhaka
  • Discussion on collaborations to strengthen digital competency development in the Asia-Pacific
  • Reflections on Day 2
    • Clare Stark, UN Coordination Officer, UNESCO PAX

16:40-17:00

Closing remarks and next steps

  • Margarete Sachs-Israel, Chief of Section for Inclusive Quality Education, UNESCO Bangkok

Programme Contacts
Mr Toan Dang, ICT in Education, Section on Inclusive Quality Education, UNESCO Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education, UNESCO Bangkok: t.dang(at)unesco.org
Ms Ruohan Zhang, Communication and Information Unit, UNESCO Bangkok: r.zhang(at)unesco.org

Media Contact
Mr Gregory Galligan, International Consultant, UNESCO Bangkok: g.galligan(at)unesco.org 

Event
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