“The threat of disinformation is global. Responsibility is shared and citizens are the first line of defence – empowering them with media literacy and critical thinking is essential. By starting with citizens, we fortify democracy from the ground up.”
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism emphasised the critical role of media and digital literacy in democratic societies when he was opening the High-Level Conference on Building Democratic Resilience to Disinformation, in Kalkara, on Wednesday. The conference was organised by the Council of Europe and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, as part of the 2025 Maltese Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.
Dr Borg explained that education and citizen engagement, from school curricula to lifelong learning, is central to efforts to curb disinformation. “Young people, digitally connected and innovative, bring insights vital to this fight. But resilience cannot focus solely on youth. Digital divides persist, particularly across generations. Many older citizens still face challenges navigating today’s information landscape. Ensuring that everyone can access accurate information and resist false narratives is essential,” he said, as he encouraged governments, civil society, educators, journalists, academics, and the tech sector to work together in this direction.
Malta has consistently placed the fight against disinformation, and the promotion of media and digital literacy, at the forefront of the international agenda. The Deputy Prime Minister reminded that these issues were among the principal objectives of Malta’s 2023-2024 term at the UN Security Council, during the 2024 OSCE Chairpersonship, and presently during the Presidency of the Council of Europe.“Defending truth and trust is essential to defending democracy itself,” he affirmed.
He also noted that like many democracies, Malta had its stark reminders of the consequences of these threats. Referring to the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, he stressed the urgent need for all countries to leave no stone unturned in protecting journalists. “The protection of media professionals is not just a national concern, but a shared responsibility of all democracies committed to upholding human rights and the rule of law,” he stated.
The High-Level Conference on Building Democratic Resilience to Disinformation brought together government representatives, lawmakers and policymakers, regulators, civil society, journalists, academics and representatives from the technology sector, to discuss effective, rights-based strategies to counter disinformation and build democratic resilience. Journalists, civil society representatives, and other stakeholders from Malta were among the panellists and participants.
Photo (DOI-ODPM/MFT)
