Cairo: The Sultanate, represented by the Ministry of Information, took part in the 51st ordinary session of Arab Information Ministers Council held at the Arab League premises under the chairmanship of Sudan.
The session saw the participation of Ministers of information, media officials from member states and heads of press associations and organizations.
Ali Khalfan al Jabri, Information Under-Secretary at the Ministry of Information, led the Sultanate’s delegation at the session.
The session discusses a number of topics on the agenda, including the Arab Media Strategy, the Arab External Media Action Plan and all that relates to the Palestinian issue.
The ministers discuss mechanisms for activating Arab media action to tackle the phenomenon of terrorism and extremism. They focus on the production of a multi-faceted professional media content to contain stereotypical projections and prejudices stigmatizing Arab communities. They also look into issues of relevance to the future of Arab media in general.
They will consider the endorsement of a sustainable media roadmap programme, electronic media, the introduction of ‘educational media’ in mainstream education and drafting a strategy for dealing with major media companies that influence global digital media.
Ali Khalfan al Jabri said in a statement that Arab media has a functional role to play in the midst of today’s media, both in the Arab region and in the world at large, with the aim of creating rapprochement among Arab states.
Al Jabri also underscored the developmental role of the Arab media, notably by promoting awareness about rebuilding and modernization.
Acting from this vantage point, the endorsement of a ‘media roadmap for sustainable development’ and the introduction of media as a subject in Arab educational curricula figure high in the agenda of Arab Information Ministers, said Al Jabri in a statement to Oman News Agency (ONA).
He pointed out that Arab information ministers accord major significance to the joint Arab media action plan, which is envisaged to convey to ‘The Other’ a realistic collective image of the Arab Group and to reject extremism.
Al Jabri called for action to objectively address all social and intellectual issues—to tackle them from an informational point of view. “Otherwise, inaction will pose risks to the current and future generations,” said Al Jabri. --ONA
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