Sharjah Media Centre Launches Government Communication Forum to Benchmark Media Best Practices against Global Standards

Top-tier Media Professionals and Government Thought Leaders to Converge in Sharjah for Inaugural Forum from 26-27 February

Sharjah Media Centre, the communications arm of the Government of Sharjah, today unveiled details of the inaugural edition of the Government Communication Forum that will be held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah.

Set to become an annual event to benchmark Sharjah’s media communication mandate against global best practices, the first edition of the forum will take place from 26 - 27 February, 2012. In addition to a series of panel discussions with industry thought leaders and senior government officials, the forum will spotlight the Sharjah Media Centre and its role to develop and oversee communications best practices for the government institutions in Sharjah.

The announcement was made at a press conference headlined by His Excellency Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmad Al Qassimi, Chairman of Sharjah Media Corporation.

Addressing the media, His Excellency Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmad Al Qassimi said: "Our initiative to put together this event is based on our belief that communication is key to improving the operational performance of public sector departments and institutions in Sharjah. Furthermore, it will help Sharjah meet its primary objective of effectively disseminating information to media professionals across the globe and providing them with an accurate perception of Sharjah."

He added: "Our efforts to enhance the Government of Sharjah’s communications approach will allow us to better align our practices with the UAE’s federal strategy on government communications. We believe this is particularly relevant with new media trends impacting the political, economic and social domains regionally and globally. We, therefore, regard it an opportune moment to work together in improving government communication tools with our partners in the media and endorsing norms and ethics of professional journalism. It is this priority that has driven Sharjah’s decision to launch the Government Communication Forum where media directors in governmental departments can meet with top-tier industry professionals from the UAE, Arab countries and the rest of the world to exchange both experience and knowledge and apply concepts in a way that is relevant to the emirate of Sharjah."

The two-day forum taking place at the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry will feature eight sessions and two workshops. The event will see regional and international media experts from top-tier organisations leading sessions and workshops on themes topical to the region. Each of the segments will additionally draw the participation of staff members from various governmental departments in Sharjah. At the conclusion of each workshop, internationally accredited certificates will be distributed to the attendees comprising mid-managerial executives from the government institutions in Sharjah.

As one of the highlights of the forum, the ’Sharjah Prize for Government Communication’ will be announced on the side-lines, honouring excellence in various categories of government communication practices.

Dato Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, former Prime Minister of Malaysia, has been invited as the Guest of Honour for the first Government Communication Forum.

In addition, eminent leaders and media personalities headlining the forum’s sessions will include Dr Nabil Al-Khatib, Executive News Director at Al Arabiya; Brad Staples, President of APCO International, Chair of Global Development; Dr Nabil Al-Sharif, Member of the Jordanian Senate; Dr Rafic Chlala, former Press Advisor to Presidential Office, Government of Lebanon; Dr Ahmad Al-Dbeiban, Plenipotentiary Minister of the Secretariat General for the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf; Firas Al-Khatib, Media, PR and Information Officer, UNESCO, Beirut Office; Samir Al-Baha’i, Policy and Government Affairs Manager of MENA at Google; Sue Wolstenholme, Elected President for 2013 for CIPR, UK; HE Abdul Qadir Al-Sheikh, Minister of Information, Malaysia; Turki Al-Dakhil, host of ’Edaat’ TV programme and  founder and owner of Al Mesbar Research and Study Centre; Zaven  Kouyoumdjian, Lebanese TV celebrity, talk show host and producer of ’Sirée Wenfatahet’ programme, Omaya Juha, Chairman of Juhatoon; Emad Hajjaj, well-known cartoonist in Jordan and the Middle East; and Rasha Mahdi, Egypt’s first female cartoonist.

The panel discussions at the inaugural Government Communication Forum will examine issues such as ’Coordination Strategies of Communication Efforts among Government Institutions’, ’Management of Risks and Crises in Governmental Media Communications’ and ’Future of Digital Media in the Government Sector’. The sessions will also highlight case studies of governmental awareness campaigns in the US and UK, besides showcasing Turkey and Malaysia’s ’Experience in Developing the Government Media Sector’.

The workshops will, meanwhile, focus on ’Skills of Dealing with Media for Senior Officials and Heads of Institutions’ and ’Organizing the Government’s Image and Managing its Reputation’ amongst other topics.

Osama Samra, Director, Sharjah Media Centre, said: "We are very excited about this initiative that will effectively translate the manifesto of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi to position Sharjah as a centre of sustainable business practices. With his guidance and esteemed wisdom, we are confident of delivering an event that will explore government communication approaches that are participatory and collaborative, and encourage a two-way dialogue with Sharjah’s primary stakeholders - the nationals."

The Government Communication Forum aims to bring the latest professional practices of government communication to Sharjah for the benefit of its opinion leaders, heads of government institutions and senior officials. It will also provide organizations in Sharjah with the latest resources for developing best practices in government communication and facilitate qualifying programmes for practitioners in the sector. More importantly, the event will seek to change any misperception with regards to government communication and promote a disciplined culture that is consistent, clear and cohesive across all channels.

View News Headlines