{"id":25493,"date":"2025-01-22T07:32:13","date_gmt":"2025-01-22T07:32:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/techandbiz.com.ng\/tab-backup\/?p=25493"},"modified":"2025-01-22T07:33:11","modified_gmt":"2025-01-22T07:33:11","slug":"7-nations-back-nigerias-unesco-media-institute-bid-20-others-pledge-support-minister","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/techandbiz.com.ng\/tab-backup\/2025\/01\/22\/7-nations-back-nigerias-unesco-media-institute-bid-20-others-pledge-support-minister\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Nations Back Nigeria\u2019s UNESCO Media Institute Bid, 20 Others Pledge Support \u2013 Minister"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nigeria\u2019s ambition to host the UNESCO Category II Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Institute has gained significant international backing, with seven nations formally endorsing the bid and 20 others committing support. This development was announced by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, during a courtesy visit by a UNESCO delegation currently assessing Nigeria\u2019s readiness to host the institute.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have the support of about seven sister nations and commitments from twenty others. We are confident that at the next sitting of the UNESCO Board, Nigeria will secure the final hosting right for the MIL Institute, which will be located within the premises of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) in Abuja,\u201d Idris said.<\/p>\n

Positive Feedback on Preparedness<\/h4>\n

The minister expressed satisfaction with the preliminary assessment from UNESCO\u2019s inspection team, noting that Nigeria\u2019s preparations align with the organization\u2019s requirements. He highlighted that the initiative is not only a national priority but also a global one.<\/p>\n

\u201cMedia and Information Literacy is a tool for the world, not just Nigeria. Hosting this institute provides a platform for us to showcase our expertise, professionalism, and global commitment to MIL,\u201d Idris stated.<\/p>\n

Government Support and Funding<\/h4>\n

With the full approval of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Nigerian government has allocated the necessary funding for the institute. The Ministry of Information is collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Education and other stakeholders to ensure the project\u2019s success.<\/p>\n

The minister emphasized that MIL is critical in addressing global challenges like fake news and misinformation, which pose threats to peace and security.<\/p>\n

\u201cFake news, misinformation, and disinformation are global problems. UNESCO has been at the forefront of combating these issues, and we recognize that Nigeria must play its part. The MIL Institute will contribute to building global capacity in tackling this challenge,\u201d Idris said.<\/p>\n

Balancing Press Freedom with Responsibility<\/h4>\n

Idris reassured stakeholders that efforts to combat fake news would not undermine press freedom, reiterating the government\u2019s commitment to freedom of expression.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor democracy to thrive, press freedom is essential. However, with freedom comes responsibility. Press freedom must respect the rights of others\u2014it is about balance,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n

UNESCO\u2019s Assessment Mission<\/h4>\n

Mr. Nelson Papi Kolliesuah, Project Manager at Data-Pop Alliance\u2014the firm independently conducting UNESCO\u2019s verification\u2014commended Nigeria\u2019s preparations. He noted that their mission was to ensure that the institute aligns with global aspirations, Nigeria\u2019s educational system, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).<\/p>\n

\u201cSo far, we are satisfied with the structures and arrangements made by the Nigerian government for the institute\u2019s take-off,\u201d Kolliesuah remarked.<\/p>\n

This milestone demonstrates Nigeria\u2019s commitment to leading global conversations on media literacy and combating misinformation. If approved, the MIL Institute will position the country as a hub for capacity building and innovation in media and information literacy, benefiting not only Nigeria but the world at large.<\/p>\n

Rabiu Ibrahim<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0 Nigeria\u2019s ambition to host the UNESCO Category II Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Institute has gained significant international backing, with seven nations formally endorsing the bid and 20 others committing support. This development was announced by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, during a courtesy visit by a UNESCO delegation currently […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":25496,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16,346,366,329],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25493","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","category-culture","category-economy","category-education"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/techandbiz.com.ng\/tab-backup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25493","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/techandbiz.com.ng\/tab-backup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/techandbiz.com.ng\/tab-backup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techandbiz.com.ng\/tab-backup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techandbiz.com.ng\/tab-backup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25493"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/techandbiz.com.ng\/tab-backup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25493\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techandbiz.com.ng\/tab-backup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25496"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/techandbiz.com.ng\/tab-backup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25493"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techandbiz.com.ng\/tab-backup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25493"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techandbiz.com.ng\/tab-backup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25493"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}