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08 Sep 2016
<div style="text-align: justify;">Three students from the Jordan Media Institute (JMI) took part in a two-week course at the Media and Digital Literacy Academy, held at the Lebanese American University under the title "Media Literacy and Countering Extremism." The academy was attended by 43 professors and university students from 20 universities in Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Yemen, Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Palestine, the Sultanate of Oman, and the UAE.<br />
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This is the fourth time in a row that JMI students participate in the academy, which aims at enhancing and empowering media and digital literacy in the Arab region through training a generation of academics and media students and developing new media curricula, which are deeply rooted in the Arab reality and which promote the interests of the Arab community.<br />
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JMI students Rania Abdullah, Husam Assal, and Ahmad Ajlouni took part in the sessions, which covered topics such as media and digital literacy, human rights, the role of teaching digital media in the region, critical analysis and news, framing the news, power of pictures, the influence of the business sector on the media, media and terrorism, propaganda elements in films and videos, media and politics, sectarian discourse and freedom of expression, gender and image of the body, and others.<br />
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Rania Abdullah said that she considers her participation in the program of the academy to be an important milestone in developing her academic and practical knowledge of media and digital literacy. She added: "The theme of the program for this year is very important. It seeks to counter all forms of extremism. It highlights digital activity and the relationship between media, youth and extremism. This is in light of the ideological and media confrontation of the media strategy of terrorist organizations."<br />
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Husam Assal affirmed that this experience has increased his personal responsibility for transferring knowledge and introducing media literacy to the local community. Ahmad Ajlouni said that the program gave students an opportunity to mingle with fellow students from different ideologies. This has enabled them to coexist with the other, whatever the differences.<br />
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The Media and Digital Literacy Academy started its first program at the American University of Beirut in 2013.<br />
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A student from JMI recently participated in the Salzburg Academy on Media and Global Change, which also aims at increasing media literacy. The sessions, held between 17 July and 6 August, discussed migration and using media to highlight civilian needs. </div>