(KPL) During Global Media and Information Literacy Week, the ASEAN Foundation, with support from Google.org, Google's philanthropic arm, is hosting the ASEAN Digital Literacy Programme (DLP) Impact Forum here from Nov 14 to 16.

Under the theme "Navigating Digital Resilience: Empowering ASEAN Communities through Digital Literacy," the forum highlights the achievements and impacts of the 2-year programme implementation in the 10 ASEAN Member States.

Additionally, the ASEAN DLP mission in combating misinformation and disinformation by providing digital literacy training across ASEAN countries aligns with UNESCO's theme for this year’s Global Media and Information Literacy Week, "Media and Information Literacy in Digital Spaces: A Collective Global Agenda".

After nearly two years of implementation, the ASEAN DLP has conducted 61 Training of Trainers sessions, involving 1,451 Master Trainers across the region, in collaboration with 15 local implementing partners.

As of this month, the programme has seen 193,955 individuals benefiting from 2,647 digital literacy workshops. This exceeds ASEAN DLP’s initial target of reaching 100,000 people within a two-year period.

In Laos, the programme has empowered 154 Master Trainers and 8,333 participants, and has worked with Lao Youth Radio and XM Technovator as a local implementing partner.

Furthermore, the ASEAN Youth Advisory Group (YAG) has conducted 12 impactful online and on-site digital literacy campaigns across ASEAN countries, directly benefiting 3,881 individuals and achieving an impressive combined social media reach of over 930,000.

One of the campaigns is run by Pathana Hoymoune, a Lao ASEAN YAG member, who initiated Diginovator. The campaign aims to equip young people with essential digital literacy skills, enabling them to become responsible digital citizens capable of discerning false information.

The ASEAN DLP Impact Forum brings together local implementing partners, Master Trainers, mentors, ASEAN YAG members, representatives of Google.org, the ASEAN Secretariat, and members of the Board of Trustees of the ASEAN Foundation to celebrate these remarkable achievements.

Executive Director of the ASEAN Foundation, Dr Piti Srisangnam, said "The achievement of the ASEAN DLP is a collective accomplishment involving the active participation and dedication of all stakeholders involved in the programme.”

“Having a shared purpose of creating a safer digital space has brought us one step closer towards the vision of developing a digitally inclusive Southeast Asia. Equipped with digital literacy knowledge and skills, the ASEAN DLP beneficiaries are the agents of change in the fight against online disinformation and misinformation in their respective communities.”

Lead for Google.org APAC, Marija Ralic, expressed her pride in supporting ASEAN DLP, saying “The ASEAN Foundation's Digital Literacy Programme has achieved remarkable results and also touched lives, sparking positive change across Southeast Asia. Google.org has supported the ASEAN Foundation with a US$1.5 million grant to aid the implementation of ASEAN DLP from 2022 to 2024.”

Director of XM Technovator, Ophakorn Kouphokham, said “I am privileged to be partnering with the ASEAN Foundation and Google to empower 5,173 end-beneficiaries from all communities in Laos with digital literacy skills that will enable them to safeguard themselves from disinformation and misinformation.”

“Our vision is to create a safer digital community for Laos and ASEAN. Come join us in the ASEAN Digital Literacy Programme!”

KPL