Beirut, Lebanon – January 14, 2025 – In a strategic step towards combating disinformation and hate speech in Lebanon, UNESCO signed a Tripartite Partnership Agreement today under the leadership of Ministry of Information with the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF). 

The signing ceremony was attended by H.E. Ziad Al Makary, Minister of Information in Lebanon, Costanza Farina, Director of UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office in Beirut, and Lévon Amirjanyan, Représentant de l’OIF pour le Moyen-Orient. This partnership leverages the expertise of all parties to increase critical thinking among the public, drawing on best practices to promote media and information literacy in the context of crisis.  

A large-scale media campaign across TV channels and social media platforms will be launched to raise public awareness on critical thinking and depicting fake news and disinformation. Capacity development actions will be taken to increase the competencies of a core team of journalists/reporters from the National News Agency on fact-checking and video reporting. The necessary equipment will also be provided. 
This initiative contributes to the UNESCO Action Plan for the Emergency Response for Lebanon for the strategic objective related to media, and within the framework of OIF’s program on the prevention and fight against disinformation.

“I am pleased to sign an additional agreement with UNESCO and the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie aimed at combating fake news and hate speech. This is an agreement we have been working on for some time, and it has now materialized. Its effects will be seen very soon."
Makary added, “We hope to promote a culture of combating fake news among all journalists in Lebanon and to prevent its spread across all media outlets.”

“UNESCO is committed to supporting and contributing to freedom of expression, access to information, and combating disinformation as part of a wider engagement in Lebanon for a conducive media landscape." Said Costanza Farina, Director of UNESCO Mutlisectoral Regional Office in Beirut.
She also added: "I am delighted that the UNESCO long-standing strategic partnership with OIF under HE the Minister leadership is resulting in concrete actions at these very auspicious times for Lebanon."

“It is necessary to combine our efforts and expertise to support the Ministry in strengthening its resilience against this scourge. Given the urgency of the response needed, we are framing this project within the OIF's 'Solidarity for Lebanon' action plan.” Said Lévon Amirjanyan, Représentant de l’OIF pour le Moyen Orient.

By strategically partnering together, UNESCO, OIF, and the Ministry of Information intend to substantively contribute to a safer and more informed media landscape in Lebanon.