During UNESCO’s Global Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Week Feature Conference in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, CMIL Director Sherri Hope Culver participated in two sessions that highlighted global progress in media literacy, AI education, and youth-centered cinema. The event brought together leaders from around the world to explore how media and information literacy continues to evolve in an increasingly complex digital environment.
In this session, Sherri joined an international panel of researchers and practitioners, including:
- Diana Maliszewski, Association for Media Literacy
- Anna Kozlowska-Barrios, University of Illinois Chicago
- Yonty Friesem, Columbia College Chicago
- Estrella Luna Muñoz, Instituto de Comunicação da NOVA
- Irene Andriopoulou, Creative Hub GR & EKKOMED
The group discussed regional initiatives aimed at strengthening AI literacy and equipping communities with essential media and information literacy skills. Their conversation emphasized the growing need for critical thinking and informed engagement as AI becomes more deeply woven into everyday life. Sherri delivered a presentation titled “Children and AI and Media Literacy,” exploring how young people understand artificial intelligence and what educators can do to support their learning, agency, and safety in AI-driven environments.
Sherri also participated in a session celebrating the 70-year legacy of CIFEJ (International Centre of Films for Children and Young People), the UNESCO-founded organization dedicated since 1955 to children’s rights, media education, and global storytelling. The discussion highlighted CIFEJ’s ongoing mission and its renewed vision as it enters a new era headquartered in Greece. Joining fellow panelists Gerardo Neto, Director of Festicinekids in Colombia, and Efi Palli of the Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center, who served as moderator, Sherri contributed insights from the CIFEJ Athens Symposium held in May 2025. She emphasized current initiatives and emerging opportunities aimed at strengthening creative learning and empowering young people through cinema.
