The Media Literacy Network held its annual meeting, which traditionally takes place as part of the Media Literacy Days, on 29 November 2021. The meeting was held online, using the Zoom platform. Attending the meeting were: Emilija Petreska-Kamenjarova (AAAVMS), Sasho Bogdanovski (AAAVMS), Viktor Stojanov (AAAVMS), Marina Trajkova (AAAVMS), Snezhana Trpevska (RESIS Institute), Bojan Shashevski (MOF), Daniela Stankovska-Plachkovska (Film Agency), Dimitar Dimovski (Focus Pocus), Gontse Jakovlevska (MCIC), Marina Tuneva (CEMM), Olga Samardjic-Jankova (Konedu Global), and Vesna Nikodinoska (MIM). The points discussed at the meeting were the following:
The meeting was convened with the Agenda given below:
- Verifying the extension of the mandates of Snezhana Trpevska, Marina Tuneva and Emilija Petreska-Kamenjarova within the Coordination Group,
- Verifying the extension of the mandate of Emilija Petreska-Kamenjarova as Coordinator of the Network,
- Reintroducing the establishment of a Work Group on Film Literacy on the Agenda,
- Information on the new website and other activities taken up throughout this past year,
- Miscellaneous
- Regarding the first two points on the Agenda, and following the expiration of the two-year mandates of three members of the Coordination Group (Snezhana Trpevska, Marina Tuneva and Emilija Petreska-Kampenjarova), as well as the mandate of the Network Coordinator (Emilija Petreska-Kamenjarova), a process for online candidacy and voting was opened in the past period, to elect new members of the Coordination Group and a new coordinator. During the related communication within the Network it had been agreed that, if there were new candidates for these positions – the vote would take place at the annual meeting, and if there were not –the incumbents would be considered as re-elected, again for a term of two years. With regard to this issue, only the MOF representatives sent an e-mail stating their support to the extension of the mandate of the current members and the coordinator. Given this factual situation, it was concluded that they were re-elected for a term of two years.
- In tune with the third point on the Agenda, which envisaged reintroducing of the issue of establishing a Work Group on Film Literacy, the coordinator Emilija Petreska-Kamenjarova (AAAVMS) reminded the participants of the document titled “Recommendations for Integrating the Concept of Media literacy in Various Social Spheres.” The key recommendation in this document is the organization of work groups as part of the Network, which was carried out during 2019, when work groups were formed on formal and non-formal education, research and promotion of the Network and attracting of new members. In this process, also envisaged was the formation of one more work group – on film literacy, which was not formed back in 2019, due to the fact that the members did not show enough The attendees were informed that there was a renewed interest in the formation of such a group, in cooperation with the Film Agency.
- The representative of the Film Agency, Daniela Stankovska-Plachkovska, pointed out that film literacy was intertwined with media literacy and that the Film Agency, as a member of the Network, was ready to lead this group and to initiate and implement a series of projects. Namely, as she underlined, the establishment of a Group on Film Literacy would open up an opportunity for projects that would help children and young people understand films and that, for this purpose, cooperation with primary and secondary schools in the country was envisaged. Additionally, this group will bring closer together and connect media, film workers and other stakeholders in this field. She suggested to initiate greater visibility in the forthcoming period by inviting relevant stakeholders to join the Network.
- Bojan Shashevski (MOF) suggested to invite into this group communicologists and institutions/organizations working in the field of education and media literacy, as well as film workers, organizers of film festivals, cinemas and the Cinematheque of North Macedonia.
In conclusion to this point, it was agreed that, just as in the case of the other work groups and their formation, e-mail messages would be sent to the members of the Network to explain the goals and the mission of the Group on Film Literacy, and at the same time the members would be invited to cmment on who of them would like to join the group.
- Snezhana Trpevska (RESIS Institute) stressed the need for greater activity on the part of the members and the work groups within the Network throughout the year, and, for this purpose, she proposed development of annual plans on the activities of the work groups.
- As regards the fourth point of the Agenda, the Coordinator presented the new look of the website https://mediumskapismenost.mk/ and reminded the attendees about the activities for promoting the Media Literacy Network:
- The campaign on the social networks, initiated by the AAAVMS, which lasted 4 months, with the contribution from a large number of members, and within which the “Parents’ Guide on Media Literacy” developed by the RESIS Institute, was launched.
- The creation of the Network’s profiles on Twitter and Instagram (apart from the one on Facebook), in accordance with the Communication Strategy developed in 2020.
- She invited the members of the Network to share new information (about their projects, events, publications, analyses, etc.) more often and more actively, in order to achieve a greater level of activity throughout the year (outside the Media Literacy Days), as well as to utilize the link https://mediumskapismenost.mk/ as a place to exchange the latest information and use it as a source of resources.
- Additionally, it was proposed to make changes to the Application Form for membership to the Media Literacy Network, which would enable individuals/physical persons to become members of the
