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Deputy Prime Minister Highlights The Need for Media Literacy Among Citizens

Deputy Prime Minister Highlights The Need for Media Literacy Among Citizens
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Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Dr Chris Fearne Borg, has underlined the crucial role of media and digital literacy in defending democracy, as Malta hosted the Council of Europe’s High-Level Conference on Building Democratic Resilience to Disinformation in Kalkara.

Deputy Prime Minister Highlights The Need for Media Literacy Among Citizens

Opening the conference, organised by the Council of Europe and Malta’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Tourism as part of the 2025 Maltese Presidency of the Committee of Ministers, Dr Borg said, “The threat of disinformation is global. Responsibility is shared and citizens are the first line of defence empowering them with media literacy and critical thinking is essential. By starting with citizens, we fortify democracy from the ground up.”

Deputy Prime Minister Highlights The Need for Media Literacy Among Citizens

The Deputy Prime Minister stressed that education, from school curricula to lifelong learning, is vital to tackling disinformation. He highlighted the role of young people, who are digitally connected and innovative, but also warned of generational divides, with many older citizens struggling to navigate today’s complex information landscape.

He urged governments, civil society, educators, journalists, academics, and the tech sector to collaborate in ensuring that everyone has access to accurate information and can resist false narratives.

Deputy Prime Minister Highlights The Need for Media Literacy Among Citizens

Malta, he noted, has consistently placed media and digital literacy at the top of its international agenda, making it a priority during its UN Security Council term (2023–2024), the 2024 OSCE Chairpersonship, and its current Presidency of the Council of Europe.

Dr Borg also referred to Malta’s own experience with the dangers of disinformation and threats to democracy, citing the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia as a stark reminder of the need to protect media workers.

Dr Borg stated, “The protection of media professionals is not just a national concern, but a shared responsibility of all democracies committed to upholding human rights and the rule of law.”

#MaltaDaily