Online Inclusion and Diversity Media Literacy Week continues until tomorrow

OTTAWA, Nov. 6, 2017 / CNW / - Media Literacy Week, which runs from November 6 to 10, aims to raise awareness of the need to create inclusive digital communities.

This year's theme, Inclusion in a Wired World: A Place and a Voice for All, recalls how the diversity of voices, perspectives and talents improves our media and digital spaces and how important it is to encourage it. Through educational activities and awareness-raising events, Media Literacy Week helps young people create welcoming digital environments and engage in respectful dialogue online.

“It is essential for our economy and our society to equip our children with solid media and digital skills,” says Cathy Wing, co-executive director of HabiloMédias, the Canadian center for media education and digital literacy. A key component is empowering children and young people to create warmer and more respectful virtual spaces, and to explore new ways to have their voices and stories heard. "

The president of the Canadian Teachers' Federation (CTF), H. Mark Ramsankar, agrees and adds that diversity is a celebration of our Canadian identity. “As teachers, we strongly believe in the need to help students find their voice, develop critical thinking and become responsible citizens in our democratic society. This is what defines media education. "

Media Literacy Week, now in its 12th edition, is an annual event co-hosted by MediaSmarts and CTF. Many organizations from across the country, including Cyber-Seniors, the National Council of Canadian Muslims and the YWCA, are participating by organizing events and promoting media literacy. Media Literacy Week was officially launched in 2015 in the United States by the National Association for Media Literacy Education.

MediaSmarts and CTF would like to thank TELUS and Facebook for being platinum sponsors and Bell, YouTube and Twitter for being gold sponsors of Media Literacy Week 2017. We also want to say a special thank you to the many. educational organizations who have generously contributed to it. For more information, visit the website www.medialiteracyweek.ca/en/.

About HabiloMédias

MediaSmarts is a Canadian non-profit center dedicated to media education and digital literacy. Its goal is to ensure that young people develop critical thinking skills that enable them to use media as active and informed digital citizens. @HabiloMedias

About CTF

Founded in 1920, CTF is a not-for-profit organization and a national alliance of provincial and territorial Member organizations representing over 238,000 teachers across Canada. CTF is also a member of Education International. @SignCanada

SOURCE Canadian Teachers' Federation