From Monday: The 9th Media Literacy Days!

Zagreb, 20 April 2026 – The ninth Media Literacy Days, organised by the Media Regulatory Authority and UNICEF, and held under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and Media and the Ministry of Science, Education and Youth, will take place from 20 to 26 April 2026, with numerous additional events in the weeks before and after.

This year’s Media Literacy Days focus on empathy in the digital environment. By developing empathy, we reduce the risk of violence and strengthen a culture of respect and understanding. At a time when children and young people, as well as adults, are spending more time online, empathy is becoming the foundation of a safe digital environment. Empathy helps us respond more thoughtfully, communicate more responsibly, and build a digital space that is safer and more inclusive for everyone.

The importance of systematically enabling children and young people to develop media literacy skills, as well as empathy, is also reflected in the results of a survey conducted for the Media Regulatory Authority and UNICEF by Ipsos*:

• 50.8% of young people (aged 16–25) have not had the opportunity to learn about media literacy.
• 76.3% of respondents believe that media literacy should be more strongly integrated into school curricula.
• 74.3% of respondents fully or mostly agree that exposure to violent content and hate speech on social media contributes to the normalisation of violence and a decline in empathy in society.
• 82.3% of respondents fully or mostly agree that people are more likely to write negative things on social media that they would not say in person (such as criticism, attacks, judgement or hate speech).

“The theme of the ninth Media Literacy Days, empathy in the digital environment, is one of the strongest so far. By developing empathy, we help children take responsibility for every digital footprint they leave, as well as recognise the moment when they themselves may need support in a world where reality has become blurred. It is therefore important to strengthen the social and emotional skills of young people, and it is the responsibility of all of us to work every day to ensure that the most vulnerable understand their own feelings as well as the feelings of others, especially in the online space. This is precisely why media literacy and the ability to critically understand media are extremely important today, as information is present at almost every step of our lives. The Ministry of Culture and Media has supported the activities of the Media Regulatory Authority and UNICEF for many years to raise awareness and encourage the development of media literacy in schools and kindergartens,” said Nina Obuljen Koržinek, Minister of Culture and Media.

“In today’s world, where information spreads at incredible speed and in vast quantities, it is especially important to recognise accurate and reliable information. This is why it is crucial to develop, from the earliest age, the skills that enable understanding and critical use of the media. Given the growing presence of digital media and the strong influence of social networks on young people, our goal is for all pupils to develop the ability to think critically about media content so that they can protect themselves and become responsible media users. In Croatia, media literacy is becoming an increasingly important part of school curricula, and as a cross-curricular topic it is already integrated into various subjects,” said Prof. Dr Radovan Fuchs, Minister of Science, Education and Youth.

“Recent years have seen a rise in hate speech and inappropriate comments, both in the digital sphere and in public life more broadly. Research further highlights a worrying increase in peer violence among children. Aware of these trends, as well as the fact that violent behaviour is increasingly perceived as something normal, we have decided to dedicate this year’s Media Literacy Days to developing emotional literacy in the digital environment. We believe it is our responsibility to encourage the public to recognise this problem and to give children and young people the opportunity, through the development of empathy, to better understand the consequences of their actions, both online and in the physical world. We want to empower them to recognise their own and others’ emotions, to develop compassion, and to build understanding towards others and those who are different,” said Robert Tomljenović, Vice-president of the Media Council at Media Regulatory Authority.

“Empathy is the foundation of healthy relationships and a strong protective factor that can help reduce violence both offline and online. Children and young people need support in developing the skills that will help them navigate the digital environment safely, responsibly and respectfully. I am pleased that, together with our partners and the many educators, teachers and lecturers involved in Media Literacy Days, we are building a digital environment based on greater safety, empathy and mutual respect,” said Ilija Talev, Deputy Head of the UNICEF Office for Croatia.