In a day and age where the flow of news and ways of communication shape our perspectives on the world, Beirut's very own Media and Digital Literacy Academy empowers thousands of Arab educators and students.
MDLAB offers knowledge that allows people to better understand and contribute to creating change in their surroundings and beyond.
Now in its fifth edition, "the academy aims to advance media literacy education in the region and help build media literate individuals, engaged citizens, and empowered communities."
Sponsored by the Norwegian Embassy and running until the 18th of August, this year's session is organized by the Institute of Media Research and Training (IMRT) at the Lebanese American University. It tackles "issues of countering extremism, sectarianism, youth radicalization, gender equality, digital security, and human rights during conflicts and wars."
Here's a closer look at the inspiring academic initiative:
Media literacy and its importance in our day and age
Media Literacy "is not just about producing critical, informed citizens, it's about creating empowered citizens who feel the urge and have the right tools and skills to change society, hopefully for the long term."
MDLAB works on that and on expanding the type of knowledge needed to fuel and expand such activism in the Arab world by "providing the needed training, curricular material and resources, and motivating faculty to transfer what they learned to their institutions."
This academy was founded in 2013 by Dr. Jad Melki, associate professor of journalism and media studies and chairperson of the Department of Communication Arts at the Lebanese American University. It annually convenes a two-week summer seminar and several short workshops bringing together students, activists, journalists, teachers, and academics.
Together, they "study media literacy, develop locally rooted curricula, and promote critical thinking and citizen media empowerment."
Expanding critical media literacy education in the Arab region
In the few years since it was launched, MDLAB has gone on to achieve major milestones in "promoting and developing media literacy across the Arab world."
"In five years, we graduated almost 300 Arab educators, journalists, activists and media students and helped spread media literacy courses to 32 Arab universities and a dozen schools. We hope by 2020 that all Arab countries teach this badly needed forms of media education to students from all majors and specialties," its founder, Dr. Jad Melki, said in a statement to StepFeed.
"This year, on the fifth anniversary of MDLAB, we were able to invite 12 world-class international experts, expand our diversity to include participants from all around the world, and increase our enrollment from 50 to 75 participants, thanks to a generous grant from the Norwegian Embassy," he added.
Dr. Melki also explained that "MDLAB's mission continues to focus on expanding critical media literacy education in the Arab region."
A closer look at this year's program
This year’s participants come from all over the Arab world, including participants from Egypt, Palestine, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Bahrain, Algeria, Morocco, and Yemen.
This is also the first year the academy enrolls international participants from non-Arab countries, including Germany, United States, China, Russia, Bulgaria, and Iran, thus expanding its scope from a regional Arab focus to a global multicultural context.
Speakers this year include inspiring academics from all over the world.
These include Sut Jhally (University of Massachusetts,) Roger Waters (Pink Floyd,) Paul Mihailidis (Emerson College,) Carola Richter (Free Berlin University,) Amanda Philips (Georgetown University,) Jennifer Rosales (Center for Social Justice,) Julian McDougall (Bournemouth University,) Megan Fromm (Colorado Mesa University,) Moses Shumow (Florida International University,) Monika Halkort (LAU,) Claudia Kozman (LAU,) and Jad Melki (LAU.)
After concluding its first few days of activities last week, the academy is moving ahead in its second week of panels, workshops, and lectures.
The closing ceremony of this year's session will be held on August 18, followed by a concert featuring up and coming singer, Faia Younan.
For more information on MDLAB's program, visit the academy's website or follow its pages on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.