EKKOMED actively participated, through two innovativeworkshops, in the 2nd Student Conference “From Mythology to Space – Kids Talk with the Stars”, organized by the school network “From Mythology to Space: International Network for Education for Sustainable Development”, in collaboration with the World Human Forum.
The workshops were hosted on Saturday, January 17, at Megaron- Athens Concert Hall, with the participation of schools from all over Greece. Their aim was to familiarize students with Media and Information Literacy, promote film education, and foster critical understanding of content in both cinema and new media.
More specifically, the 1st student workshop “Inter-Galactic Stories through the Lens of Cinema’”, addressed to elementary school students, was jointly organized by the Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Centre – EKKOMED and the International Centre of Films for Children and Young People – CIFEJ. Using Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece in sci-fi film “2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968) as a central reference, the workshop explored how cinema can function as a contemporary myth-making medium and as a tool for understanding the universe. Through the lens of 3Cs in film literacy (Critical, Cultural and Creative approach), students were encouraged to observe the ways through which cinematic language constructs meaning, posing philosophical questions about man’s perception of the universe and technology. Emphasis was placed on the analysis of the film’s music in relation to its opening sequence, highlighting how sound and image work together to evoke ideas of cosmic creation at the threshold between imagination and reason. The workshop also examined film techniques that play with the time–space continuum, enabling students to reflect on non-linear conceptions of time and space, while drawing connections between myth, narrative structure, and cinematic language. Overall, the workshop encouraged young participants to critically engage with audiovisual storytelling and to recognize cinema as a powerful means of reinterpreting myth and exploring humanity’s enduring questions about creation and the universe.
The 2nd student workshop “News from… Another Planet – How Do We Recognize Fake Content”, addressed to both primary and secondary school students, laid the foundations for the critical identification of verbal and non-verbal content in advertising and social media. It introduced the concepts of “cognitive fatigue” and “critical ignoring”, referring to the development of protective mechanisms and filters against information overload. Through interactive quizzes, examples, and short group activities, students became “detectives of truth” strengthening their ability to safely evaluate the words and images they are exposed to. At the same time, the audience practiced the conscious decoding of explicit and implicit messages, cultivating an understanding of the difference between information that merely captures one’s attention and information that is worth engaging with critically.
EKKOMED organizes and develops a wide range of educational initiatives and programs in audiovisual and film education, with an emphasis on cultivating digital literacy skills, media literacy, and critical thinking, while supporting the connection between creative expression and new technologies, as well as education in visual and digital culture. Information: educate@ekkomed.gr
See Press Release from the World Human Forum here