DUBAI, 7 December 2005 — The second and final day of the Arab and World Media conference organized by the Arab Thought Foundation and Dubai Press Club again featured a full agenda on a variety of issues but some participants expected a more deeper discussions that could throw up some real answers and a workable plan. The topics were interesting, the speakers were impressive, but the level of dialogue was mild and somewhat superficial. At the very end of the program, there was a stir and a challenge that resonated with the audience.
Early yesterday morning, the first session was on India and China: How half the world views Arabia. An interesting topic but sparsely attended, perhaps reflecting how the Arabs view that half of the world. The points raised at the session were on investment opportunities here, people relations and political understanding.
This was followed by a session on covering the war on terror which had a bigger audience. The panelists tried to explain their views and decisions in covering terrorist acts. Samia Nakhoul, Gulf Bureau chief of Reuters, said that the main thing is covering the story.
“We are not there to judge them. Our job is to tell the world what is the news,” she said. Nakhle El-Hage, head of news and current affairs at Al-Arabiya satellite channel, said that the media is a victim of terrorism because everyone wants to recruit it for their own purpose and some of the reporters pay for that with their lives.
Frank Gardner, a terrorism analyst with BBC who was shot by terrorists last year in Riyadh leaving him paralyzed, said that the West is not doing a good job in understanding and knowing the grass roots of terrorism. Unfortunately, when he tries to do that, he is accused of being sympathetic of terrorism even though he was a victim of it. At the same time, he said that it is difficult for him to defend Islam against those who try to connect it with terrorism and violence when those who commit the terrorist acts issue statements and broadcast images of extreme violence using Islamic references.
The breakout sessions for the day were on inside coverage in Beirut, Baghdad and London as well as sessions on new media business models, how think tanks influence media and the role of documentaries. These breakout sessions are smaller and therefore more interactive.
Many participants said that these sessions were more interesting.
After lunch, the spotlight session on Sheikh Ghazi Al-Yawer, vice president of Iraq, was packed. Among the key things Al-Yawer said was that it is important to return the Baath Party members, who did not commit crimes, to their jobs, that the new government is a civil-oriented government and that religion is too sacred to be spoiled by politics.
He also warned countries in the region from interfering in Iraq because what happens inside Iraq will affect its neighbors. However, he said that it is important to involve three countries — Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Iran — in the initiative proposed by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal for an Iraqi national dialogue and reconciliation.
The session on media’s social responsibility, freedom and propaganda was very interesting. Points were raised on Arab media independence, professionalism, credibility and stereotyping. The focus was on media’s responsibility in covering political issues but there was no discussion on its responsibility in covering social, economic and cultural issues which some participants felt was just as important.
Finally, there was some new perspectives and ideas presented at the session on the roots of prejudice, which is a briefing on a recent US-Arab Media Forum on prejudice by some of the participants in that forum. The participants in that forum agreed to form a tool, most likely a web porter, to act as a resource for Arab and American reporters for information, self-criticism, and database on coverage from both sides.
They also discussed the idea of doing some stories together. The last session was a wrap up of how Arab and foreign media cover stories and their priorities in covering them.
Earlier, Asir Governor Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, president of the Arab Thought Foundation, hosted a dinner reception to welcome the delegates. During the event pioneers from various fields were felicitated for their outstanding achievements.
Prince Bandar ibn Khalid, member of the Board of Trustees of the Arab Thought Foundation and the Head of The Arab and World Media Conference Organizing Committee, said, ‘The show of appreciation for the participants and Arab talent comes in light of our organization’s support for Arab knowledge, education and culture and to encourage people and organizations to offer more to promote the nation and its development.”
It has three Awards categories: The Pioneers: Financial Award of $30.000; The Achievers: Financial Award of $20.000 and The Talented: Financial Award of $10.000. Amr Moussa, secretary general of the Arab League, was presented a special award during the ceremony.
In ‘The Pioneers’ category, Iraqi Professor Dakhil Hasan Jerew, for his contribution in the field of electronic engineering, Jordanian Professor Adnan Badran in the field of education and Moroccan Professor Mohammad Abed Al-Jabri, in the field of philosophy and Islamic thought.
In ‘The Creative’ category the award was presented to Algerian Professor Othman Saadi, for the Protection of the Arabic language, Bahraini Professor Mohammad Jaber Al-Ansari in the field of thought and Egyptian Professor Nabil Ali in the field of Information Technology.
In ‘The Talented’ category the award was presented to a Palestine university student Iqbal Mahmoud Al-Asaad, for academic distinction, and Saudi Loai ibn Saleh Labani in the field of Computers and Computer Sciences.
