07/12/2026
Canadian Centre Hosts Digital Literacy Workshop to Strengthen Community Digital Skills
------------------------------------------------
A Digital Literacy Workshop was held on Tuesday, July 7, organized by the Canadian Centre for Information and Knowledge (CCIK) at the BIES office. The workshop brought together 33 participants, including seniors and community members of various age groups, who were eager to develop the skills needed to use digital technology safely and confidently in today's technology-driven world.
The keynote speaker was Sadi Khan, Director of Information Technology (IT) at the University of Toronto. Drawing on his extensive experience in the IT sector, he delivered an informative and practical presentation highlighting the importance of digital literacy in everyday life. He emphasized that digital skills enable people to stay connected with family and friends, access essential online services, and participate confidently in the digital world.
A major focus of the workshop was online safety and cybersecurity. Participants received hands-on guidance on creating strong passwords, recognizing online scams and phishing attempts, protecting personal information, and using search engines and websites safely. Sadi Khan also explained how to maintain a secure digital footprint and avoid suspicious links, pop-up advertisements, and fraudulent online offers.
The interactive workshop introduced participants to widely used digital platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Gmail. Step-by-step demonstrations covered creating online accounts, communicating with family and friends, sharing photos and videos, watching educational content, sending emails, and searching for information online safely. The workshop also included a discussion on Artificial Intelligence (AI), covering its benefits, limitations, and the precautions users should take when using AI-powered tools.
Throughout the session, participants actively engaged in discussions, question-and-answer sessions, and practical exercises. Many attendees shared that they felt significantly more confident using smartphones, computers, and the internet after completing the workshop.
Speaking about the initiative, Imam Uddin, President of the Canadian Centre for Information and Knowledge (CCIK), said, "Digital literacy has become an essential life skill in today's world. Through practical digital education and training, our goal is to bridge the digital divide, enhance online safety, and improve access to government services, healthcare, education, and social connectivity for seniors and community members."
The workshop is part of CCIK's ongoing commitment to promoting digital inclusion and empowering communities through education and technology. The initiative was supported by the Government of Canada. CCIK plans to continue organizing similar workshops in the future to help community members build the digital skills and confidence needed to participate successfully in an increasingly digital society.
