The four-day conference, which ended on Friday, recommended the formation of a panel of academics, trainers, media practitioners and other stakeholders to monitor and study Muslim media and make annual reports on ways to bring improvement. “It also urged Muslim media to share media materials and contents to bring understanding and solidarity among Muslims,” the conference’s final communiqué said.
The conference was attended by leading journalists and communication experts in the Muslim world. It called upon all countries and peoples to respect religions and beliefs, particularly divine messages and messengers, and exercise freedom with a sense of responsibility on matters that could have a negative impact, especially on young people.
The participants recommended that the media conference be held every two years with the cooperation of the Muslim World League and the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs. “A follow-up committee comprising the representatives of MWL and the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs will be formed to pursue the implementation of the conference’s recommendations,” the communiqué said.
The conference stressed the need to explore avenues of cooperation among media institutions in the Muslim world in a way that would foster exchange of expertise and resources in the area of media and communication technologies.
It stressed the importance of the media in enhancing security awareness and the promotion of integrity among official and public bodies. It said the media should also take on a role to counter sedition, extremism and terrorism. It urged Muslim organizations and Islamic centers as well as media institutions to utilize social networking for the propagation of Islam and humanitarian work.
The conference called for the establishment of training centers and institutions that can focus on the application of best practices, taking into account the advancement that has already taken place in the field of media and communication.
It emphasized the need to upgrade the curricula and facilities in media departments of training institutions and universities in the Muslim world, so students will have access to improving their practical competence and theoretical knowledge.
The conferees called for developing the skills of younger generations in navigating and utilizing information that will benefit them through improvement of curricula at preparatory and secondary levels. Youngsters should be enlightened to benefit from new media and protect themselves from its negative effects, it added.
It called for cooperation between the Muslim World League, Ministries of Information and Culture and the media institutions in the Muslim world. The conference invited ministers of information and media officials to adopt its recommendations and explore the means that ensure the realization of its findings.
The conference stressed the importance of fostering cultural dialogue among Muslims, and between Muslims and non-Muslims on the basis of mutual respect. “We should reach out to non-Muslim individuals and institutions with a moderate outlook in the realization of just causes,” it added.
