Meta hosted an official launch event for its digital literacy flagship program at the Beirut Digital District to announce a partnership with its local partner "Lebanese Organisation for Studiesand Training (LOST)" to implement an adults' pilot program. As part of this engagement, the forum explored the importance of digital literacy programs for creating a safer online experience for users and reducing the risk of misbehavior in the real world. My Digital World – Adults Pilotprogram is designed to be delivered as a complete curriculum in both virtual and in-person learning environments. The program will include an extensive training of the Trainer model to create a pool of 30 – 50 local community facilitators who will lead the training of more than 2000 beneficiaries and lead public awareness campaigns. There are five learning modules in the program; privacy, security, avoiding scams, media literacy, and digital citizenship. Each module aims to teach attendees skills for interacting with others in online communities in a positive and safe manner. To assess the effectiveness of its approach and program design, it will also work with local partners to incorporate a behavioral change analysis process. Rama Halaseh, Policy Programs Manager at Meta for the MENAT, commented: "As our society continues to grow, online education and training have become a critical resource in almost every aspect of life, be it personal or professional. It has become a fundamental component of people's growth choices. Accordingly, we devote significant resources to ensuring our platforms provide people with a safe and positive experience, which is why we invest heavily in tools and programs to safeguard people. Our partnership with the Lebanese Organisation for Studies and Training will allow us to localize the My Digital World-Adults curriculum to meet the needs of marginalized communities in the Bekaa, Balbeck and Hermel regions. Dr. Rami Lakkis, Founder and Manager of Lebanese Organisation for Studies and Training (LOST), said: "LOST cares deeply about digital literacy. With our strategic partnership with Meta, we aim to implement Mydigitalworld (MDW) curriculum to address the needs of the targeted marginalized communities in the country's Bekaa, Balbeck and Hermel and equip people with the skills needed to navigate digital spaces safely and responsibly and succeed in an increasingly complex and digitally connected world." Meta is committed to building a safe, healthy, and supportive digital community in Lebanon and the wider MENA region. Its vision is to provide people with the skills and support they need to build healthy relationships, stay safe, be more well-off, build resilience, communicate across cultures, respect different perspectives, lead with empathy, think critically about their contributions to society, and work together to make a positive impact in communities around the world.
