Meta Hosts Digital Literacy Forum for Mena Youth

Dubai: New Meta -Newly hosted a virtual forum about digital literacy to help young adults in the Middle East and North Africa navigate digital platforms. Forums, which are broadcast live on the official Meta Facebook page, explore the importance of digital literacy programs in creating safer online experiences for young users and reducing the risk of bad behavior in the real world.

This event unites leading organizations that work in the welfare of young people to discuss the role of digital literacy in promoting the use of safe and responsible digital platforms to fight wrong information, hate speech, intimidation and harassment and overcome online safety, privacy and citizenship in Between teenagers aged 13 to 18 years.

"Digital citizenship involves the use of technology responsibly for every individual involved with social media, internet and other digital tools to interact with other members of the community," said Rama Halaseh, manager of the policy program in Meta for the Mena region.

He added: "We aim to partner with many organizations throughout the region about Digital Youth Literacy as the main pillars of the work we continue to do in Mena to create a safe environment for all people who are involved in a digital platform."

The first panel unites experts from the Secdev Foundation and the Arab Digital Expression Foundation to discuss the importance of understanding digital citizenship.

Ranwa Yehia, one of the founders and chairman of Adef Egypt, said: "In designing digital literacy programs for young people, attention to long -term impacts, criticism and fun exposure and the practice of the latest trends in technology is very important."

Raed M. Sharif, a senior regional manager of Salam@, digital resilience for the Women's and Youth Program in Mena at the Secdev Foundation said: "Digital citizenship and security skills are very important for the future of Arab youth."

He added: "Is it basic digital literacy skills, such as using digital tools, or more advanced, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, Arabic youth must be digitally safe, productive and innovative to utilize a lot of socioeconomic, political and cultural opportunities offered by a digital environment. "

The second panel features leaders from the Sourire De Reda and the Himaya Foundation, which discusses building an ecosystem for prevention and protection.

Myriam Bahri, Director General of Sourire De Reda, said that the non-profit, who had worked for more than a decade to prevent suicide among children, believed in "the importance of spreading messages of life, hopes and goodness through the awareness campaign. "

He added that the non -profit believes that "social media plays an extraordinary role in this problem" and trusting "peer prevention to be one of the most efficient ways to prevent suicide among teenagers," because they identify easier with someone they are experience the same life experience.

Meta said in a statement that they would work "utilize collective efforts and build partnerships with organizations in the field" and "convene with stakeholders, stock resources, and invested in a programmed in educating young users about the use of responsible and safe digital platforms throughout the world. "

This organization also wants to work with local partners in this region to meet the needs and challenges of the community.