Vice-Dean of the Polytechnic at the conference “Development of digital literacy and empowerment of youth for responsible behavior and resilience in the virtual world”
As part of the thematic systematic support of the National Foundation for the Development of Civil Society in the area of the Active Role of Veterans in Society, the Croatian General Assembly held a conference entitled “Development of Digital Literacy and Empowerment of Youth for Responsible Behavior and Resilience in the Virtual Environment” on Wednesday, June 18, 2025. The conference was organized at the premises of the Croatian General Assembly, Jurja Habdelića 2, Zagreb.
In the modern digital age, technology is an indispensable part of everyday life, especially in the lives of young people. The Internet, social networks and digital tools offer numerous opportunities for learning, connecting and expressing themselves, but at the same time they also bring challenges such as disinformation, online violence, screen addiction and privacy threats. Developing digital literacy is becoming crucial – not only as a technical skill, but also as the ability to think critically, behave ethically and be emotionally resilient in the digital space. Empowering young people to behave responsibly and be resilient in the virtual world is not only an educational goal, but also a social need. In order for young people to be able to navigate the digital environment safely and consciously, it is necessary to systematically invest in their digital education, media literacy and the development of social and emotional skills.
In the thematic part of the conference, the Vice President of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, retired Brigadier General Frane Tomičić, presented research on the challenges of the Internet and self-assessment of students’ ability to deal with them, which was conducted on 300 students and showed that they do not know how to protect themselves from the dangers of the virtual world. Among other things, he said “The survey showed that young people are threatened by various negative phenomena from the virtual environment and believe that the school system should better train them for resilience. Not only them, but also their parents and teachers.” .
Chief Police Advisor, Prof. Dr. Krunoslav Antoliš, from the Polytechnic of Criminalistics and Public Safety, held a lecture entitled “Youth & Digital Society – Challenges of Disinformation, Critical Thinking and Youth Resilience in a Digital Society” and emphasized that “it is important to make young people aware of these problems, and then educate them so that through critical thinking they are able to distinguish disinformation from information and truth from lies. Everything that is within their reach, thanks to technology, is something that, in addition to advantages, also brings disadvantages.”
Prof. Dr. Dario Matika held a lecture entitled “Digital Literacy in the 21st Century – the Foundation for a Secure Future for Youth”, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vlatka Ružić presented the topic “Fake News Detective – Recognize Fake News!”
In addition to members of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and guests, the conference was attended by the representative of the Ministry of Science, Momir Karin, authorized to perform the duties of the Director of the Directorate for Support and Improvement of the Education System, the representative of the Ministry of Defense, Major General Željko Živanović, the representative of the City Office for Education, Sports and Youth, Bruna Fijember, expert advisor for youth and technical culture, the representative of the Department for Support of Children and Families of the City of Zagreb, Ana Pulek, struč.spec.comm, head of the Department for Planning and Implementation of Support Measures for Children and Families, and prof. dr. sc. Jana Žiljak Gršić, dean of the Technical University of Zagreb.
Conclusions
The conference, held within the framework of the thematic systematic support of the National Foundation for the Development of Civil Society, is an invitation to young people to develop not only technical skills, but also critical thinking, ethical behavior, and resilience to the emotional and informational pressures of virtual space.
The conference highlighted the importance of digital literacy as a key competence of the 21st century. Digital literacy today goes beyond the mere use of technology. It includes the ability to understand, analyse and evaluate digital content, manage personal data, recognise manipulation and disinformation, and communicate responsibly in an online environment. It involves developing awareness of one’s rights and responsibilities in the digital space, as well as the ability to set healthy boundaries in the use of technology.
Conference recommendations
- In a time when the digital world is becoming increasingly present and influential, developing digital literacy and empowering young people to behave responsibly and resiliently in virtual space is becoming not only an educational, but also a social priority.
- Young people today not only need to know how to use technology, they need to understand its impact, learn how to critically evaluate information, protect themselves and others, and build a culture of respect and cooperation in the online environment.
- The responsibility for their digital empowerment lies not only with educational institutions, but with the wider social community.
- By investing in the digital literacy of young people, we protect the values of democracy, and young people use digital tools for the benefit of themselves and the community.
- Digital literacy is not just a skill, but also a form of “digital sovereignty” without which it is no longer possible to successfully participate and be a factor in the global world.
Source: https://hrvatskigeneralskizbor.hr/
