UNESCO Kingston's Communication and Information Program Specialist visits Aruba

Mr. Hector met with the Minister of Finance and Culture, Xiomara Maduro, who is also the president of UNESCO-Aruba.

During the meeting, they discussed potential cooperation between UNESCO-Kingston and the various entities in Aruba working in the communication and information field. In the future, they may explore areas to expand and strengthen Aruba's infrastructure at the academic, civil society, media, digital technology, and youth levels.

Mr. Hector's visit to Aruba coincided with UNESCO's International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI), which takes place on September 28 every year. This day contributes to raising awareness of the importance of access to information as a fundamental human right. The celebration is crucial to empower those in the communication and information field and achieve sustainable development for a country.

Mr. Hector also participated as a speaker during the launch of the website http://coleccion.aw, which is Collection Aruba,' a digital archive containing over 80,000 records created and managed by the National Library of Aruba in collaboration with various institutional partners in Aruba.

Preparations for the Global Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Week, celebrated by UNESCO from October 24 to 31 each year, were another essential item on Mr. Hector's agenda. During the Global Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Week 2023, UNESCO-Aruba and its partners focused on several national activities. MIL-Week aims to raise public awareness about the skills and responsible use of information and media, including critical thinking, digital literacy, and ethical knowledge when assessing and creating access to information.

During his visit, members of UNESCO-Aruba accompanied Mr. Hector, including Ms. Marushka Tromp, Secretary-General, Ms. Birgit Kreykenbohm, Program Specialist for Communication and Information, and Mr. Peter Scholing, a member and President of UNESCO's Memory of the World Committee for Latin America and the Caribbean (MoWLAC).

For more information on the topics mentioned in this article, please visit the following online resources:

• UNESCO Regional Office for the Caribbean - https://www.unesco.org/en/fieldoffice/kingston
• International Day for Universal Access to Information - https://www.unesco.org/en/days/universal-access-information
• Media and Information Literacy - https://www.unesco.org/en/media-information-literacy
• Coleccion Aruba - http://coleccion.aw