"Okeil": Our objective, as European and Arab civil society organizations involved in the "Citizen Journalism" project, is to raise community awareness

Marina Sami: We aim to empower young individuals and media professionals with critical thinking and information verification skills

As part of the Citizen Journalism Academy project, the Maat for Peace, Development, and Human Rights organized a local training session on "Citizen Journalism and Information Verification." The training focused on the significance of citizen journalism and equipping young people with methods to enhance critical thinking, combat misinformation, verify information, develop digital and leadership skills, and raise awareness among the 25 participating youth and media professionals.

Regarding this matter, Ayman Okeil, an international human rights expert and Chairman of Maat, highlighted that the political, economic, and social crises in the Arab region have given rise to a substantial amount of media content and misleading information. With the proliferation of this vast flow of information, it is crucial to strengthen media education and scrutiny. Okeil emphasized that our objective, as civil society organizations from different European and Arab countries involved in the "Citizen Journalism" project, is to work towards creating community awareness and building capacities to utilize innovative tools and practices that enhance youth participation through new media technologies. These tools and practices will aid in combating fake news and misleading information, as well as nurturing a new generation of young leaders capable of safeguarding human rights and democracy.

 Marina Samy, Director of the Media Unit at Maat and project coordinator, stated that modern technology has begun to influence the formation of young individuals' personalities and their roles in society. Developing critical thinking skills among Arab youth has become crucial in countering rumors and misleading information. Therefore, the Maat, through the "Citizen Journalism" Academy project, aims to enhance the skills of Egyptian youth in utilizing modern technology and bolstering the digital and leadership competencies of media professionals. The project implements various activities and training materials to enhance capabilities and increase awareness among young people about the opportunities provided by new media technologies for civic engagement and information verification.

It is important to note that the Citizen Journalism Academy project is funded by the European Commission's Erasmus+ program. Its objectives include promoting citizen journalism and media education as effective means of societal participation, enhancing the leadership and organizational skills of participating youth, and adopting new methods of engaging with youth through digital platforms. The project involves seven partner organizations across seven different countries: Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Albania, Jordan, Egypt, and Tunisia.