Between 13 and 14 May 2026, two engaging and innovative capacity-building sessions were hosted in a hybrid format by the Government of Saint Kitts and Nevis and organized by the UNESCO Office for the Caribbean in close collaboration with the host country and the Governments of Antigua and Barbuda, and Grenada.
The sessions were part of a wider series of Media and Information Literacy (MIL) awareness initiatives being implemented under the Small Islands Developing States Inclusive Initiative for Media and Information Literacy in the Caribbean (SIM Caribbean), funded through UNESCO’s Multi-Donor Program for Media and Information Literacy.
Supporting older adults
The workshop on 13 May, aimed at older adults, focused on strengthening digital skills and promoting safer, more confident engagement online. Participants explored a broad range of topics such as cybersecurity, digital safety, digital health and mental wellness, the use of videoconferencing tools, and ways to support digital transformation.
Media and information literacy is not a luxury for seniors but a right. It gives them the power to distinguish facts from falsehoods in a world flooded with misinformation, and it helps them to navigate digital spaces safely.
Hon. Geoffrey Hanley, Deputy Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis and Minister for Education, Gender Affairs, Ageing and Disabilities
Older persons must not be left behind. Digital inclusion is not only about or connectivity, but also about empowerment, confidence and safety. Every citizen regardless of age, must be able to engage securely in the digital environment.
Petal Rush, Permanent Secretary with responsibility for Social Development and Gender Affairs within Grenada’s Ministry of Social and Community Development, Housing and Gender Affairs
Seniors have a natural fear of technology. Trust, understanding and the rapid changes coming so fast, it is overwhelming. There needs to be a combination of government intervention, education and lots of training in technology.
Reginald Murphy, Secretary-General of the Antigua and Barbuda National Commission for UNESCO
Older adults are often specifically targeted by online scams and malicious digital practices. Workshops such as this one empower older persons to better understand the risks of social engineering and cybersecurity scams.
Simon Springett, UN Resident Coordinator for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean
Inclusion in the digital world is about protection, awareness and lifelong learning. Older adults are not passive recipients of digital transformation. When older adults become confident online it is entire families and communities that benefit.
Eric Falt, Regional Director and Representative of UNESCO
Resources for youth
The workshop on 14 May, which targeted youth participants, focused on strengthening awareness and skills in countering misinformation, disinformation and online hate speech. It also explored the development of critical thinking and research skills, cybersecurity awareness, mental health management, digital footprint, and the role of youth in advancing digital transformation
During the session, the UNESCO MIL Toolkit for Youth Organizations was introduced as a key resource designed to support youth organizations in integrating MIL into their policies, strategies, and operations. The toolkit provides practical, step-by-step guidance to strengthen institutional capacity and empower youth-led initiatives to effectively embed MIL principles.
We have made a deliberate choice to treat youth not as passive recipients but as active partners in nation building. But this is not possible if our young people cannot navigate the information ecosystem safely and wisely.
Hon. Geoffrey Hanley, Deputy Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis and Minister for Education, Gender Affairs, Ageing and Disabilities
We are embracing digital transformation to improve education, governance, entrepreneurship, innovation and citizen engagement. MIL is no longer optional, it is an essential life skill for resilience, informed and inclusive societies.
Cosbert Woods, UN Country Coordinator for St. Kitts and Nevis
At the center of digital transformation stands one critically important demographic, youth. UNESCO’s goal through SIM Caribbean is to help ensure that Caribbean youth are equipped not merely to participate in the digital future, but to lead within it.
Eric Falt, Regional Director and Representative of UNESCO
Lessons learned
The workshops were regionally significant because they were able to bring together participants and contributors from Saint Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, and wider Caribbean and UNESCO networks, reinforcing the importance of ensuring that digital transformation is actually inclusive across all age groups.
The sessions highlighted that meaningful digital inclusion extends beyond access to technology and must also equip individuals with the skills necessary in order to verify information, protect personal data, manage digital wellbeing, understand their digital rights and responsibilities, and participate online confidently and safely.
These initiatives created lasting value and will inform policy briefs, cybersecurity checklists, MIL guidance, social media and audiovisual content, and a regional synthesis on inclusive digital transformation. Developed with key partners, these resources will support public education and future digital-skills initiatives across the Caribbean.
The execution of the UNESCO SIM Caribbean Cybersecurity for Older Adults and MIL and Youth Stakeholder Hybrid Workshops was led by the Secretaries General of the National Commissions for UNESCO and their corresponding Ministries of Education in St. Kitts and Nevis, Grenada, and Antigua and Barbuda.
The hybrid workshops were also supported by several UN, regional and national partners and included presenters from the United Nations Populations Fund, the UNESCO Media and Information Literacy Unit, the University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus, the Caribbean Examinations Council, the Royal St. Kitts and Nevis Police Force, the St. Kitts and Nevis Civil Service, the Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs in St. Kitts and Nevis, the Joseph N France General Hospital in St. Kitts and Nevis, the National Youth Parliaments of St. Kitts and Nevis and Grenada, the Ministry of Legal Affairs in Grenada, the Psycho-social Support Unit within the Ministry of Social Development and Gender Affairs in Grenada, and the Ministry of Social Development and Gender Affairs in the Ministry of Social and Community Development, Housing and Gender Affairs in Grenada.
read more: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco-advances-media-and-information-literacy-across-generations-through-sim-caribbean?hub=701
