On 18 and 19 August 2026, the UNESCO Office for the Caribbean in collaboration with the Government of Grenada convened the SIM Caribbean Media and Information Literacy and Media Stakeholders Engagement Workshop.
The two-day hybrid workshop marked the final activity of the Small Island Developing States Inclusive Initiative on Media and Information Literacy in the Caribbean (SIM Caribbean), funded through UNESCO’s Multidonor Programme for the Freedom of Expression and Safety of Journalists.
The workshop brought together media stakeholders from government, academia, the private sector and civil society to strengthen awareness, knowledge and competencies in Media and Information Literacy (MIL) and promote greater collaboration to foster informed societies.
The opening ceremony featured remarks from Kisha Gellineau, Secretary General of the Grenada National Commission for UNESCO, and from key national and United Nations representatives, including ason Phillip, Director of the Grenada Government Information Service.
Calistria Farrier, President of the Media Workers Association of Grenada; and Feona Sandy, UN Country Coordinator for Grenada with the UN Resident Coordinator Office for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, also took the floor alongside Carylyn McQuilkin, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security, Home Affairs, Public Administration, Information and Disaster Management of Grenada, and Eric Falt, Regional Director and Representative of the UNESCO Office for the Caribbean.
All media stakeholders have a critical role to play in educating the public. The strengthening of media worker’s digital media and information literacy competencies is an accomplishment that all of society stands to benefit from.
Eric Falt, Regional Director and Representative of the UNESCO Office for the Caribbean
The workshop was hosted by the Government of Grenada with online participation from 39 media stakeholders in Aruba, The Bahamas, Bonaire, Curacao, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Eustatius, Sint Maarten, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago.
Day one focused on journalism ethics and standards, the ethics of AI, MIL, media and multistakeholder engagement and the digital transformation of the Grenada Government Information Service.
Day two served to spotlight how media impacts society at the sectoral level, with a focus on the relationship and influence of media and MIL in legal affairs, health, mental health, culture and the economy. Issues such as digital inclusion and gender equality were also addressed.
The SIM Caribbean Media and Information Literacy and Media Stakeholders Engagement Workshop gathered a diverse group of national and regional experts. It was led by Grenadian experts from the Government Information Service Grenada, the Media Workers Association of Grenada, CIPO Grenada, the Grenada National Council for the Disabled, the Grenada Cultural Foundation, and the Ministry of Social and Community Development, Housing and Gender Affairs, alongside representatives from the UNESCO Office for the Caribbean, the Media Institute of the Caribbean, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), and members of the Grenada UN Youth Advisory Group (UN YAG) for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean.
The workshop provided a platform for stakeholders to exchange perspectives, strengthen their understanding of MIL, and explore practical approaches to addressing the evolving information landscape in the Caribbean, including the challenges and opportunities presented by digital technologies and emerging forms of media.
This initiative underscores UNESCO’s continued commitment to advancing media and information literacy across the Caribbean as an essential foundation for freedom of expression, access to reliable information, and meaningful participation in democratic life.
