Ghana to celebrate World Safer Internet Day 2016

About 850 students will participate in this year's celebration, which is being organised under the theme: "Play Your Part for a Better Internet." It is meant to promote safer and more responsible use of online technology and mobile devices, especially, among children and young people.

The Safer Internet Day (SID) is organised and celebrated on the second day of the second week of the second month, each year. The online safety landscape has evolved over recent years, from a focus on creating a 'safer' internet, to creating a 'better' internet.

On Safer Internet Day, thousands of people join to participate in events and activities to raise awareness of online safety issues, right across the globe. In Ghana, the celebration will include a Quiz and Spelling Bee competition amongst four selected schools in Kumasi, whose students would be provided with educational resources by Facebook.

TeamGISF will also engage other schools in an awareness campaign. In championing a better internet, this year's theme aims to encourage people to play their part in making the most of the positive opportunities offered online, while giving them the resilience, skills, knowledge and support they need to navigate any online risks they may come across.

Akua Gyekye, Public Policy Manager, Facebook Africa, expressed her delight in promoting a safer and better internet for the Ghanaian digital citizenry. Whether we are children and young people, parents and careers, educators or social care workers, or indeed, industry decision makers or politicians, we all have a role to play.

Emmanuel Adinkrah, CEO of Ghana Internet Safety Foundation, expressed delight at the support of Facebook Inc. towards this year's celebration, and encouraged stakeholders to help support the child online protection initiative.

Adinkrah said all plans are in place, and the participants will experience the expectations of a safe and better internet. "Whether we are children and young people, parents and careers, educators or social care workers, or indeed industry, decision makers or politicians, we all have a role to play," he said.