The Sharjah Press Club of the Sharjah Government Media Bureau will host the fifth edition of the Arab Media Leaders Forum, an initiative by the Arab Media Forum Authority, on September 26-27, featuring more than hundred leading journalists, media professionals, senior management and owners etc.
The Forum will open with the session titled "The Reality of Arab Media and the Desired Future ". It will discuss the development trajectories and capabilities of media institutions in the region, as well as the role of institutions in developing the media industry and the social responsibility of media institutions.
The second session titled "Recent Developments in Media and Professional Variables", tackles the role of Arab media and the contemporary challenges they face, while highlighting the significant, dramatic changes which have taken place in the industry so far.
The leading Arab opinion makers and media leaders from across the Arab world will also take part in a brainstorming session over the impact of the media, its objectives and how to boost and manage further development in this vital sector.
Challenges and Priorities of Arab Media
Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Media Council, said that Sharjah’s hosting of the fifth edition of the Arab Media Leaders Forum reflects the depth of media relations between the two sides.
He lauded Kuwait's continuing efforts to support the Arab media in confronting the challenges and pursuing an agenda of growth, pointing to its remarkable achievements in the media sector.
The Chairman of the Sharjah Media Council stressed Sharjah’s keenness to promote media in the Arab world and create a media environment that encourages development and innovation in accordance with the vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.
He cited a number of achievements made by the Emirate in the media sector. He pointed out that Sharjah was the first to establish the UAE’s first newspaper, Oman, in 1927, and the country’s first Arabic daily, Al Khaleej, in 1970. That was followed by a series of developments and initiatives aimed at developing media work.
Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi outlined the objectives of the media institutions under Sharjah Media Council, including Sharjah Media Corporation, Sharjah Government Media Bureau and Sharjah Media City, whose programmes align with Sharjah's development plans and qualitative leapfrogs.
Arab media alive to new challenges: Secretary General
HE Madi Abdullah Al Khamis, Secretary General of the Arab Media Forum, emphasised that the current developments and challenges facing the sector are the top priorities of the Arab Media Leaders Forum through an agenda that considers these issues to be firmly in the hands of Arab media leaders.
Thanking Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Media Council, for hosting the Forum, he stressed that hosting of this strategic Forum is not unusual for the Emirate of Sharjah, which is known for its world-class events and activities. “The Arab Media Leaders Forum comes in line with all these initiatives and efforts,” he added.
Al Khamis stressed that the relevance and importance of the Arab Media Leaders Forum lies in its keeping with many of the events that concern the Arab media and influence it strongly. He pointed out that a number of issues and challenges facing the Arab media deserve to be tackled by the Forum. These include the media’s role in the so-called Arab Spring unrest, and in strengthening the Arab ties, which attracts the attention of the League of Arab States and Arab Media Forum, both fully aware of the media impact on those ties.
He stressed that media changes are an urgent issue that casts its shadow on the current stage, especially in light of modern media. He indicated that the media machine is witnessing a myriad of new developments and fluctuations, and many surprising events are affecting the reality of Arab media. Hence this issue has been placed at the top of the Forum's priorities.
The Arab Media Forum was founded in Kuwait in 2003 with the aim of developing the Arab media discourse and capabilities of Arab media institutions.
The Forum holds a series of activities and events in various Arab countries. Arab Media Forum is an observer member of the Permanent Arab Media Committee and Arab Media Council of the Arab League.
The Sharjah Press Club operates under the umbrella of the Sharjah Government Media Bureau to serve the press and media fraternity in the country by organising a host of activities and training workshops throughout the year.
