Participation in UNESCO’s Regional MIL Week 2026 event
October 29th, 2026
The Bhutan Media Foundation, together with its youth wing, YUMRA, participated in UNESCO’s Regional Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Week 2026 event, held on 26–27 October in New Delhi, India, under the theme “We All Play a Part: Advancing Media and Information Literacy for the People.”
Organized by UNESCO New Delhi Office, the regional event brought together policymakers, educators, civil society representatives, media professionals, researchers, and youth representatives from across South Asia to discuss strengthening MIL through education, promoting responsible digital citizenship, addressing misinformation and disinformation, and navigating the opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence.
On 26 October 2026, Mr. Riku Dhan Subba, Executive Director of BMF, contributed to regional discussions on the formulation of Bhutan’s National MIL Strategy and the integration of MIL into education systems. He also shared perspectives from Bhutan’s experience in advancing MIL.
On 27 October, Ms. Sonam Tshokee Wangmo, President of YUMRA, participated in the youth segment, “Young Voices on MIL and Online Safety.” During the session, YUMRA shared preliminary findings from its ongoing National Assessment on Cyberbullying and Technology-Facilitated Violence and Abuse, commissioned by Save the Children Bhutan and implemented by YUMRA and BMF. This youth-led contribution highlighted the importance of listening to young people and ensuring their experiences inform policies and initiatives aimed at creating a safer and more responsible digital environment.
The participation came at an important moment for Bhutan, following the official endorsement of the National Media and Information Literacy Strategy of Bhutan by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Employment, Royal Government of Bhutan, through its Department of Media, Creative Industry & Intellectual Property, with UNESCO New Delhi Office’s support. The endorsement marked a significant milestone towards establishing a coordinated national approach to strengthening MIL and empowering people to critically engage with media and information.
Through this regional engagement, BMF and YUMRA exchanged experiences, learned from regional practices, strengthened networks, and explored opportunities for collaboration to support the implementation of Bhutan’s National MIL Strategy.
BMF expressed its sincere appreciation to the UNESCO New Delhi Office for providing this valuable opportunity to participate in the regional event and contribute to the shared vision of a more informed, critically engaged, and digitally empowered society.
Together, we all play a part in building a more informed and responsible digital future.