Education shapes the quality of human resources and is a key driver in fuelling national competencies. The knowledge and skills of a country’s motivated workforce can go a long way in strengthening its development operations. Besides, in today’s context of creating a ‘knowledge economy’, the development of the education sector gains added importance.

Education shapes the quality of human resources and is a key driver in fuelling national competencies. The knowledge and skills of a country’s motivated workforce can go a long way in strengthening its development operations. Besides, in today’s context of creating a ‘knowledge economy’, the development of the education sector gains added importance.

Progress in the education sector is always the result of ambitious strategies and a farsighted national vision. Adopting sound educational strategies combined with the sustained dissemination of knowledge are the surest ways of shaping a country’s future, particularly its cultural and socio-economic dimensions. Educational achievements also help societies become competitive. In this context of educating and providing knowledge to a country and its people, government communication, consistent with the nature and needs of individual societies, plays a major role.

Themes

• The role of government communication in shaping public opinion to ensure further progress in the existing education system.
• The role of government communication in aligning modernisation policies in the educational system with the country’s overall development goals.
• The role of government communication in influencing policies in both its private and public educational institutions.
• Review of the interactive communication platforms that help reach out effectively to the public.
• The role of government communication in information dissemination and exchange of successful experiences in the course of educational progress in each country.

Opening Ceremony: Under the patronage and in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah

Opening Ceremony Programme

• National Anthem
• Opening film
• MC Speech - HE Mohammed Khalaf, Director of Sharjah TV and Radio
• Speech of Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi - Chairman of Sharjah Media Centre
• Speech of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah
• Speech of His Excellency Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of State and Chairman of the Board of National Media Council
• Speech of Amal Clooney, Lawyer, Human Rights Activist and Author

Extremism poses a grave threat to humanity’s future and security with scenes of murder, persecution and destruction of human accomplishments weighing heavily on human relations.

Extremism poses a grave threat to humanity’s future and security with scenes of murder, persecution and destruction of human accomplishments weighing heavily on human relations.

Governments and international institutions have been finding it increasingly difficult to combat this streak of violence except through military force. Spreading ideas against violence and extremism has become considerably difficult for governments in the face of the macabre violence.

Since ideology or thought is the fundamental source of terrorism, government communication has a key role to play in countering it through intensive media and awareness campaigns. These should especially target the country’s youth. It is essential to counter all forms of intellectual, social and religious pretexts that strengthen extremism. Efforts should be made to nip destructive thoughts in the bud before they evolve into deadly terror acts threatening the national, cultural, social and economic security of societies.

Themes

• The role of government communication in identifying the material causes of extremism, such as poverty, ignorance, backwardness, desperation or other cultural and intellectual reasons, and making necessary interventions.
• The role of government communication in upholding the ideal of equality among various segments of the population without discrimination, and establishing the rule of law as the only reference for resolving disputes.
• The role of government communication in holding conferences and public meetings that focus on issues concerning citizens in order to redress them before they snowball into serious grievances.
• The role of government communication in spreading the true image of Islam as a moderate religion following the middle path that respects the rights and obligations of individuals, and not as a religion of extremism and hatred of others.
• The role of government communication in organising joint initiatives engaging youth from different religions, in order to strengthen human relations, refine human conduct and strengthen the sense of belonging to society.

A special session titled “The Woman Citizen”, by Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, Chairperson of Nama Women Advancement Establishment . Her Highness will address with a keynote important subjects that relate to The Woman Citizen and introduce the session.

Women are an inherent part of our society and cannot be neglected. As an integral part in every culture, women and children support the family morally and not seldom financially.

At a time of growing conflicts and change of priorities, it has become highly important to involve women as proactive drivers of change and contributors to the economy.

Humanitarian action, the empowerment of less fortunate social groups in this particular stage and the support of women are humanity’s safety valve. Aforementioned is also the key to achieving natural balance in the face of growing feelings of hatred, extremism and disregard of the fate of human beings.

The main objective of looking after different social groups, supporting the presence of women at the local and international arena and embracing humanitarian issues is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development and promote economic efficiency together with other development outcomes.

The role that government communication units and the media can play in the adoption and promotion of women as integral parts of the workforce, women as drivers of cultural diversity and driving force in prevention of violence against women, are highly important for a balanced society and will drive changes initiated by a male dominated sector supporting women.

The panellists comprise four successful women that brought change and are global advocates of women empowerment. Her Highness will elaborate on topics that are constantly present on the global agenda concerning the Citizen Woman and best practices will be presented to the audience.

Themes

• Reflection of the experience of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi in her work
• Highlighting the importance of men supporting women by looking into objectives and the outcome with the involvement of men
• Highlighting the role of women in society by outlining best practices of women in leadership and women that have brought change within their community or the workforce
• Emphasising the importance of coordination between relevant international organisations for the success of humanitarian and social initiatives, and discussing the role of government communication in facilitating this coordination and creating the proper public environment for supporting these efforts
• Creating awareness for successful women to mentor novice talents and to nurture skills of the next generation of female leadership
• Highlighting sectors that use women as profit accelerators and how governments and local as well as regional private organisations should react and prevent abuse of women as products
• Evaluating and critically reflecting on the role of government communication in the activation of laws and norms endorsed by international institutions for the protection of women
• The role of government communication in conveying the shining example of the country and the emirate of Sharjah with respect to the projects undertaken for female and family empowerment, in a way that inspires international forums to emulate it

Natural and humanitarian disasters often take us by surprise. Everything is lost within a short period of time. During such disasters, the element of surprise is coupled with the lack of time for meaningful interventions. Government communication units face the critical challenge of communicating to the public the material and moral damage caused. The response of government communications in such situations determines their efficacy, credibility, usefulness and ability to influence the public.

Natural and humanitarian disasters often take us by surprise. Everything is lost within a short period of time. During such disasters, the element of surprise is coupled with the lack of time for meaningful interventions. Government communication units face the critical challenge of communicating to the public the material and moral damage caused. The response of government communications in such situations determines their efficacy, credibility, usefulness and ability to influence the public.

The material loss caused by the disaster can be redeemed in the course of time. However the public impression about the disaster-preparedness of the country and its institutions, especially the ease with which the media handles emergencies, will last well beyond the disaster. Even the future relationship between the government and the public could be based on the public perception of the media response at such critical times. In short, times of natural and humanitarian disasters serve as a litmus test for government communications - they can either manage things well or fail completely.

Themes

• The role of government communication in creating procedural and psychological preparedness in the public even before the advent of crises.
• The role of government communication in briefing the public about steps taken to deal with the aftermath of the crisis, which will contribute to strengthening public confidence in the capabilities of the government.
• The role of government communication in persuading the public to join the authorities or voluntary organisations to help evacuate the affected or provide assistance to the needy.
• The role of government communication in supporting extensive public outreach programmes that strengthen the presence of the state among the citizenry, and enhance the image of the country.
• Tackling the psychological and social impact in the aftermath of a crisis.

The session focuses on the significant role of government communication in supporting, developing and making government policies. The session panel will discuss how government communication could be an important and vital source in policymaking when it provides reading and analysis of public opinion. The panel will also draw attention to the role of government communication in public readiness and awareness of government policies and their impact and benefits at both individual and societal levels.

Participants in the session will be able to:

• Recognise the strategic ties between communication and government policies and understand communication as a strategic enabler of government work
• Understand the communication tools needed to support and develop government policymaking
• Exchange views and experiences about communication uses and applications in the field of government policies

Programme

Programme

• National Anthem
• MC Speech - Mohammad Abu Obeid, Media Personality - Al Arabiya News Channel
• Speech of H.E. Mary Robinson, President of Ireland (1990-1997) and United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (1997-2002)
• Speech of H.E. Shamma bint Sohail Al Mazrouei, Minister of State for Youth Affairs - UAE
• Speech of Christopher Gardner, Author and Entrepreneur

Governments around the world are working hard to preserve its traditions and social structure while adopting a modern and cosmopolitan worldwide. Modernity does not dilute the cultural identity of the country or vice versa. The government’s concern for the institution of family is evident in the support it provides women, the way it empowers its youth and safeguards the family unit.

Governments around the world are working hard to preserve its traditions and social structure while adopting a modern and cosmopolitan worldiwde. Modernity does not dilute the cultural identity of the country or vice versa. The government’s concern for the institution of family is evident in the support it provides women, the way it empowers its youth and safeguards the family unit.

Government communication plays a preeminent role in this framework by way of impressing on the public the importance of preserving the authenticity of the societies, both in form and content.

Themes

• The role of government communication in protecting the strong and cohesive structure of the family unit in the face of external cultural influences.
• The role of government communication in stressing the relationship between national identity and nationalisation policies.
• The role of government communication in targeting the youth, urging them to protect their social identity and fight against disintegration and atomisation.
• The role of government communication in adopting an attitude of respect towards other national, social and cultural groups and identities across the globe.

By Ron Korver, Head of the Service for Science and Economy at the Press Unit of the European Parliament

In today’s complex media environment, it is no longer enough to talk at your stakeholders. Through the ‘luxleaks’ tax scandal case study, the workshop will explore how the EU Parliament engaged with stakeholders varying from investigative journalists, politicians, multinational companies, transparency advocates, ‘ordinary citizens’, experts, accountants, lobbyists and whistle-blowers to shape a media campaign for fairer and more transparent corporate taxation in Europe.

By Ron Korver, Head of the Service for Science and Economy at the Press Unit of the European Parliament

The workshop will explain how EU used the stakeholders’ input to shape its messages and how a system of daily media monitoring was set to find out what was written on the subject and whether it was positive, negative or neutral and how EU communication department made use of opinion polls.

Focus of the workshop

• The role of the stakeholders in communication strategy
• Techniques for engaging with stakeholders
• Using opinion polls and media monitoring to tailor and improve your communications

Agenda

• 9:00-10:45 Workshop Part A
• 10:45-11:00 Coffee Brak
• 11:00-13:00 Workshop Part B
• 13:00-14:00 Lunch Break
• 14:00-15:00 Workshop Part C
• 15:00-15:15 Tea Break
• 15:14-16:00 Final Summary

What participants will gain?

• An understanding of how the EU media department is organised and editorial decisions are made
• An understanding of how to involve important stakeholders in your communications strategy including the use of social media
• An understanding of which instruments communicators have at their disposal to listen to their stakeholders and to shape their messaging accordingly
• An understanding of how to use opinion polls

By John Ware, Investigative TV reporter

From Watergate to banking scandals, investigative journalism has often played an essential role in helping society and even governments overcome illicit and dangerous activities. Thanks to investigative journalism, governments have been able to address malpractice in the private sector, uncover and prosecute criminals, and counter threats. Investigative journalists are typically motivated by public concerns and can sometimes complement the work of the authorities by investigating stories that may not be accessible to them.

By John Ware, Investigative TV reporter

The workshop will share examples of investigative journalism in the UK that has an impact for the public good and highlight some of the techniques used by the journalists. Through practical exercises and discussion, participants will explore how investigative journalism can help their governments and societies to address some of their most entrenched problems.

Focus of the workshop:

• What is unique about investigative journalism
• Investigative journalism techniques and how they can be practiced within an ethical framework
• Investigative journalism as a force for good; how it can help governments serve the public better
• How to react to investigative journalism

Agenda

• 9:00-10:45 Workshop Part A
• 10:45-11:00 Coffee Brak
• 11:00-13:00 Workshop Part B
• 13:00-14:00 Lunch Break
• 14:00-15:00 Workshop Part C
• 15:00-15:15 Tea Break
• 15:14-16:00 Final Summary

Workshop participants will gain:

• An understanding of how investigative journalism is conducted
• An understanding of the potential benefits to governments of collaborating with investigative journalists in certain circumstances
• How to respond constructively to well evidence allegations

Through its programmes and initiatives, UNAOC acts as a premier global platform for intercultural dialogue and the promotion of inclusiveness and diversity. It develops its actions at both governmental and civil society levels to overcome prejudice, misperceptions and polarization and to counter forces that fuel polarization and extremism.

Along with Education, Media and Migration, Youth is one of UNAOC main pillars of action and young people are considered key agents for social change, economic growth, and innovation. Such acknowledgment is in line with the UN Resolution 2250, unanimously adopted by the Security Council in December 2015, which urges Member States to increase youth representation in decision-making at all levels and which recognizes the crucial role of young people in peace building and global stability.

UNAOC invests in outstanding youth leaders and initiatives that promote intercultural understanding and positive social action for the development of peaceful and inclusive societies. For each of its programmes, UNAOC implements a selection process that ensures cultural diversity and gender balance.

UNAOC also seeks to engage further with former participants to its programmes by encouraging these emerging leaders to share resources and ideas on ways to develop dialogue and cooperation between their societies, cultures and religions. Today, the UNAOC Alumni network is a global pool of young experts and professionals with a first-hand knowledge of their country’s social context and cultural diversity. Within their community, they are leading the implementation of innovative strategies for the promotion of tolerance and the engagement of youth, both offline and online, on important social issues.

Topics:

• Presenting the impact UNAOC programmes have on the involvement of youth from around the world in the global effort to prevent radicalization and xenophobia at grass-roots level.
• Facilitating the global conversation on diversity, and promoting change in policy frameworks, prevent identity-based tensions, support grass-roots initiatives, raise awareness and mobilize public support for tolerance and inclusion.

Speakers

• Mr. Alessandro Girola, Programming Coordinator, United Nations Alliance of Civilizations
• Ms. Paloma Haschke-Joseph, Project Management Specialist - Intercultural Engagement, United Nations Alliance of Civilizations

Trainer: Thair Soukar, Head of Digital Strategy, Sky News Arabia

This interactive lecture sets out some of the key steps to forming the right strategy for the use of social media in your business. It also sheds light on how to optimise your performance on social media through an actionable strategy using storytelling, engaging content generation and social media smart monitoring.

Trainer: Thair Soukar, Head of Digital Strategy, Sky News Arabia

Focus of the lecture:

• Introduction; Facts & Statistics
• The 3-Pillar Digital Strategy

How to Create a Great Social Media Strategy

• 7 Key Rules to Build Your Social Media Strategy
• 7 Common Mistakes to Avoid in Your Social Media Marketing
• 7 Recommendations for a Better Performance & Better Results on Social Media

The Art of Social Media

• Content is King; but Distribution is Queen & She Rules the Roost!
• 7 Tips to Rock Social Media
• Tools & Tactics
• How to Put Everything Together
• Analytics & Measurements: meaningful vs. useful

What will participants gain?

• Learn the Basics of Digital Strategies
• How to Develop a Content Plan & Strategy
• Tools & Tips to Effectively Monitor and Track Performance
• Learn the Do’s & Don’ts of Social Media Management
• Create Ongoing Conversations with Consumers & Collect Insights to Influence Product Development & Marketing Strategies
• Integrate Measurement Techniques & Analytics Tools into Your Strategy So You Can Learn & Improve
• Demonstrate The Value of Social Media to Your Business
• Effective Community Management

More than three billion people today connect to the Internet globally, and almost 68% of them are active on social networks, representing 28% of the world population. In the United States alone, almost three-quarters of adults use social networking sites, and more than half of Facebook and Twitter users get their news through those sites.

With the number of users constantly growing, social networks have become a target for the spread of hate speech and extremist propaganda. Never before in history have people been able to propagate incendiary speech in such effective way. As history has shown, rhetorical excesses can give rise to a climate of prejudice, discrimination and violence, and creative measures are needed to counter hate speech globally.

In keeping with its mission to promote dialogue between cultures, civilizations, faiths, and peoples, and in accordance with the United Nations Secretary-General’s recent Plan of Action to prevent Violent Extremism, the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) has worked actively with the global media space, academics, tech companies and experts, particularly those who are well positioned to report, comment on, and investigate xenophobia, hate speech, violent extremism and prejudice.

Topics:

• Introduction to complete and nuanced understanding of hate speech
• Discussing underlying reasons behind the surge in hate speech and cyber extremism incidents
• Presenting ways to counter hate speech and help prevent Violent Extremism through good practices in the use of Social Media

Participants are invited to participate in the conversation online, using: @UNAOC and #SpreadNoHate.

Speakers

• Ms. Nihal Saad, Chief of Cabinet & Spokesperson for the High-Representative of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations
• Mr. Thibault Chareton, Project Management Specialist – Media and Migration, United Nations Alliance of Civilizations

Trainer: Thair Soukar, Head of Digital Strategy, Sky News Arabia

As more organisations and governments integrate social media into their public relation and communication plans, emphasis needs to be on creating an effective social media strategy. Without a successful strategy, they will undoubtedly fail to address the people and tech-savvy generations.

Trainer: Thair Soukar, Head of Digital Strategy, Sky News Arabia

Nowadays, most governments seek to leverage social media to improve the quality of government services, enable greater citizen engagement and elevate public services.

This interactive lecture will explore how politicians, government employees, diplomats and decision-makers could engage and shape media messages to address social media audience.

The lecture will also discuss how a system of daily social media monitoring should be set to find out the way the public think, and discover positive, negative or neutral approaches of communication

Focus of the lecture:

• Role of social media in societies
• Government communication in the era of social media
• Best ways to engage with people
• Finding new strategies, and coping up with the quick train of change

What will participants gain?

• An understanding of how social media could impact their performance
• An understanding of how to involve social media platforms in improving communication
• An understanding of which social media tools and platforms are the best for government communication
• An understanding of how to use twitter, Facebook, and YouTube polls
• Exploring best and worst practices of using social media for governments