To strengthen media freedom, promote media and information literacy, and boost civil society engagement in policymaking, nine media development organisations from the Western Balkans and Türkiye have united under the EU-funded project “Our Media: A Civil Society Action to generate media literacy and activism, counter polarisation, and promote dialogue” project.

Running from 2023 to 2026, the project aims to strengthen regional cooperation, enhance media integrity, and encourage active civic participation through a combination of media research, capacity building, and advocacy efforts. It will raise awareness about emerging media trends, opportunities, and risks in the region while offering evidence-based recommendations to address them.

The initiative brings together a broad range of actors, including civil society organisations, media professionals, policymakers, regulatory experts, media and information literacy coalitions, as well as citizens, with a particular focus on youth.

• Enhance regional cooperation and reinforce media freedom and integrity in the Western Balkans and Turkey.
• Increase media activism and participation of CSOs in policymaking.

• Strengthened capacities of media and civil society organisations, including those in rural areas, to develop and implement effective media and information literacy (MIL) practices.
• Media professionals and self-regulatory bodies take greater responsibility in promoting MIL, with at least 70 representatives trained on advancing ethical standards and self-regulation.
• Increased civic engagement, particularly among youth, through media activism. Over 500 young people will be involved in national MIL coalition activities, and 21 will enhance their skills in media literacy and advocacy.
• Citizens across the region, especially youth, will be empowered through interactive tools such as MIL quizzes and educational campaigns.
• Greater awareness among media stakeholders—CSOs, journalists, academia, and policymakers—about emerging trends, risks, and opportunities in the media landscape, and how to respond proactively.