On 7 March 2018, the controversial Girl’s Day proclaimed by some Chinese college students, Xiao Mi posted on social media a photo of him and his friends protesting in front of a banner on campus. Similar to most banners hung on this day on campuses around China, it was perceived by many - especially women - as being sexist. The post went viral and triggered heated discussion on social media, and eventually influenced some positive changes. “It was just last year when I took the action. There is no longer such banner on [our] campus this year!” said Xiao Mi excitedly, followed by a round of applause from the audience. His story demonstrates social media’s potential in raising awareness and advocating for positive social changes.  
 
Xiao Mi, who is currently working at a Civil Society Organization (CSO) dedicated to Youth LGBTI Actions, was one of the participants of the training workshop co-hosted by the Media Diversity Institute and UNESCO on media and information literacy skills. The participants come from 16 Chinese CSOs dedicated to the protection and empowerment of disadvantaged and vulnerable groups, including LGBTI, persons with disabilities, women, and youth - people who are subject to discrimination or disadvantage because of their gender, sexual orientation, physical or mental impairment, poor socio-economic status, and the lack of social protection. Most of the participating organizations have carried out online and offline campaigns to advocate for the equal rights and social participation of these groups. 
 
The workshop provided a general picture of the global and Chinese media environment, and drew attentions to key issues such as the role of the media, rights online and offline, diversity, civic engagement and ethical issues. In the three-day workshop, participants acquired knowledge and practical skills on media relations and advocacy with a Media and Information Literacy approach in the Chinese context. Enhanced MIL competencies and skills will enable them to deliver more targeted and impactful campaigns using diverse media and information channels. 

“To me, media communications seemed very complicated in the past and I didn’t have a clue about how to find media resources. This training helped clear up my doubts and confusions,” said Qiangqiang at the end of the workshop. Qiangqiang works at a Xi’an-based CSO.