(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Unesco Gulf States and Yemen, in partnership with the Qatar National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, Al Rayyan Municipality, and Hamad Bin Khalifa University, hosted today the concluding session of a regional initiative on Media and Information Literacy (MIL) and AI.

The Talk was attended by youth, journalists, community leaders, and decision-makers from public, private, and civil society sectors across the Gulf states and Yemen.

The opening remarks were made by Salah Khaled, Regional Director of Unesco to the GCC States and Yemen, Mansour Ajraan Alboenain, Director of Al Rayyan Municipality, and Dr Eyad Masad, Vice President for Research, Hamad Bin Khalifa University.

In his opening remarks, Khaled, emphasised the importance of inclusive and multi-sector engagement, stating: "In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, the intersection of media, information literacy, journalism, and AI has never been more critical. Each sector plays a unique role in adapting to these changes, ensuring accurate and trustworthy communication, and fostering intergenerational understanding."

This session marked the wrap-up of a series of three regional talks earlier this year, which targeted the public sector, private sector, and civil society. It brought together a diverse mix of stakeholders to synthesize insights, foster intergenerational dialogue, and co-create a shared roadmap for advancing MIL and responsible AI practices across the GCC and Yemen region.

The panel discussion saw the participation of Dr Wael Abdelal, Assistant Professor of Media and Mass Communication, Qatar University; Dr Milan Maric, Head of Digital Communication and Media Production, University of Doha for Science & Technology; Dr Rayana Ahmed Bou Haka, WHO Representative in Qatar; Nasser al Khori, Executive Director of Generation Amazing Foundation and Unesco Chair on Sport Governance and Social Responsibility; Khalifa al Haroon, Founder and CEO of the ILQ Media Network, RaqamiTV and Store974 and founding partner of PayLater; Abdulla al-hor, Lecturer at Qatar University, and it was moderated by Professor Sima Hamadeh, Haigazian University.

During the discussion, participants examined the intersection of MIL and AI across sectors, developed strategies to enhance digital literacy, combat misinformation, and promote ethical AI use, and explored opportunities for youth-led initiatives and sector-specific policies.

Building on these discussions, participants contributed to a shared roadmap for MIL and AI, which outlines key strategies and practical recommendations for policymakers, institutions, and communities. The roadmap provides guidance on strengthening digital literacy, fostering cross-sector collaboration, promoting responsible AI use, and empowering youth and influencers to actively shape a resilient and inclusive media ecosystem.

This discussion is part of Unesco's ongoing efforts in the region to advance media, information literacy and responsible AI practices, empowering communities and youth to engage critically with media and digital technologies.

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