Pouplar South African artists, Kgaogelo Moagi, better known as Master KG and Miss Universe 2019, Zozibini Tunzi are this year’s UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors for the Global Media and Information Literacy Week (24-31 October 2021). 

President of the South African National Commission for UNESCO who is also the Minister of Basic Education, Mrs AM Motshekga, congratulated the two at a ceremony held on 19 October 2021 at the Department of Basic Education offices.

Master KG of the Jerusalem hit song and Zozibini Tunzi, are expected to advance media and information literacy (MIL) at a time when so much false information is being peddled especially through social media. The proliferation of disinformation and misinformation calls for citizens to be media and information literate so they can distinguish the truth from falsehoods.

South Africa hosts this year’s Global Media and Information Literacy Week Feature Conference, becoming the first Sub-Saharan African country to do so. The annual Global Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Week, initiated in 2011, is led by UNESCO in cooperation with the UNESCO MIL Alliance, the UNESCO-UNAOC MIL and Intercultural Dialogue (MILID) University Network, and other partners. It is a major occasion for stakeholders to review and celebrate the progress achieved towards “Media and Information Literacy for All”.

The UNESCO Global Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Week has continued annually, growing from year to year with prominence and participation. The momentum was given a boost when in 2019, at the 40th Session of the UNESCO General Conference, 193 Member States unanimously adopted a resolution recognizing the Week, and encouraging official support. In 2021, the UN General Assembly unanimously gave its recognition to the Week.