The 15th Arab Media Forum kicked off in Kuwait on Sunday with Sharjah being chosen as the ‘guest of honour’ under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, Prime Minister of Kuwait. Addressing the Forum, Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Chairman of Sharjah Media Council, stressed the strong brotherly bonds between Sharjah and Kuwait, stressing their shared agenda of developing healthy Arab media system and a forward-looking media vision in the region.
Also present on the occasion were Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah, Deputy Prime Minister of Kuwait and Foreign Minister, Mohammad Al-Jabri, Kuwaiti Information Minister, Ambassador Haifa Abu Ghazaleh, Assistant Secretary-General of Arab League and a number of ministers, media moguls, senior officials and media experts from across the Arab world.
Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi thanked the leadership of Kuwait for choosing Sharjah as the guest of honour at the 15th Arab Media Forum, which is widely respected for its contribution to the region and which has been able to reunite the Arab media stance on critical issues and challenges facing the region.
The Chairman of SMC reaffirmed Sharjah's commitment to building an honest and objective media system in the region and formulating an information system that is capable of embracing both global technological developments while respecting the cultural, moral and religious values and identity of the Arab and Islamic world.
Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi said that the credibility of the media content is the foundation of building a world-class media system, which is based on the conviction that the media is a strong pillar in the human development and progress.
He called for reviewing the current media models and tools and examining their viability in the light of local and global changes. He pointed out that the media messages emanating from long-established institutions are facing fierce competition from many voices that have found their expression through new social media and networking sites, often conveying both true and false messages and information.
"We are all aware of the magnitude of the challenges facing the region in all sectors, especially the unprecedented challenges on the media front, that need to be studied, and the extent to which the current media discourse is able to engage the followers of various electronic media," he said.
The SMC Chairman lauded the agenda of the 15th Arab Media Forum that tackles various issues facing the media in the region, including how to deal with the phenomenon of fake news, which has become widespread thanks to the communication revolution and explosion of social media and the confusion between them.
Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi referred to a report prepared by researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which shows that fake or false news, estimated to be as much as 70 per cent, travels at the lightning speed using social media, wondering how governments and communities can face this challenge.
"The issue of fake news is linked primarily to the ethics of the profession. These ethics are not governed by laws and regulations, but stem from the spirit of self-regulation and responsibility," he added.
Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi discussed the various initiatives of the Emirate of Sharjah, which are aimed at developing the media sector in the Emirate, upgrading its tools and building a constructive media vision in light of the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.
He pointed to the progress that government communication system has registered in the Emirate. The government communication sector in Sharjah has been partnering with professional media in the region under the leadership of Sharjah Media Council besides launching several groundbreaking media initiatives, including the International Government Communication Forum, International Government Communication Centre, Sharjah Government Communication Award and the Arab Government Communication Network, he added.
Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi also discussed the future media vision and objectives of the Emirate led by the Sharjah Media Council and its various media institutions, including the Sharjah Government Media Bureau, Sharjah Media Corporation and Sharjah Media City (Shams). The SMC Chairman is leading the Sharjah delegation to the two-day Arab Media Forum in Kuwait.
Speaking on the occasion, HE Mohammed Al-Jabri Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affair pointed out that Sharjah has been chosen as the guest of honour during the 15th edition of the Arab Media Forum for its continuing celebration of and support to the Arab culture and thought. He said that under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, the Emirate has emerged as a ‘Cultural Oasis’ in the Arab and Islamic world.
Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah also honoured Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, who headed the Sharjah delegation to the Arab Media Forum in Kuwait, and presented him a memento.
The Sharjah delegation includes HE Dr Khalid Omar Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Media City, , HE Tariq Saeed Allay, Director of Sharjah Government Media Bureau, HE Hassan Yaqoub Al Mansouri, Secretary General of Sharjah Media Council and other members of the Emirate’s media and government communication sector.
