UNESCO CYBERSECURITY WORKSHOP BRINGS REGIONAL STAKEHOLDERS TOGETHER IN ST. KITTS AND NEVIS

Basseterre, St. Kitts, Wednesday, May 13, 2026: The St. Kitts and Nevis National Commission for UNESCO hosted the SIM Caribbean Cybersecurity for Older Adults Hybrid Workshop on Wednesday, May 13, bringing together regional stakeholders to discuss cybersecurity, media literacy, misinformation, and digital transformation in the Caribbean. 

Hon. Dr. Geoffrey Hanley, Minister of Education, highlighted the increasing need for senior citizens to be equipped with the skills to navigate today’s technology-driven society safely. 

“Today we gather at a defining moment. The digital world is no longer optional. It is how we bank, how we access health care, how we stay connected to family, and how we participate in the life of our nation. Through the Ministry of Education, Gender Affairs, Ageing and Disabilities, we understand that media and information literacy is not a luxury for seniors, it is a right, a shield and a key to independence.” 

The workshop forms part of UNESCO’s Small Island Developing States Inclusive Initiative on Media and Information Literacy in the Caribbean. The initiative seeks to strengthen digital awareness and equip individuals, particularly older adults, with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the digital landscape safely and responsibly. 

Mr. Eric Falt, Regional Director, UNESCO Regional Office for the Caribbean, underscored the wider social impact of strengthening digital capabilities among senior citizens. 

“It is important to realise and to remember that when older adults become more confident online, it is entire families and communities that benefit” 

Sen. Hon. Isalean Phillip, Minister of State of Ageing, Disabilities, Youth and Gender Affairs, also emphasized the need to protect vulnerable groups, including older adults, especially females, from online threats such as scams, misinformation, and digital exploitation. 

“Building media and information literacy means giving our mothers, our grandmothers, our great grandmothers, the tools to verify what they read, to protect their data, to speak confidently online, and to do business online without fear.”

Participants from Grenada and Antigua and Barbuda also took part in the hybrid workshop through virtual engagement. 

UNESCO’s engagement continued on Thursday, May 14, with the SIM Caribbean MIL Youth and Stakeholder Workshop. 

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