Abu Dhabi (UNA/WAM) - The first day of the World Media Congress, which was held under the patronage of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President of the Emirates, Deputy Prime Minister, and Head of the Presidential Court, at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC), witnessed the delivery of a series of speeches. Home and held a package of discussion sessions that attracted prominent and influential figures from the media, communications and technology sectors.
The activities of the first day began with a keynote speech by Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, who welcomed participants from various parts of the world to the World Media Congress, stressing the role of the media in promoting international cooperation, exchanging basic values and interests, and highlighting human achievements through... National borders.
His Excellency Mohammed Jalal Al Raisi, Director General of the Emirates News Agency “WAM” and Chairman of the Supreme Committee Organizing the Activities of the World Media Congress, said in a speech on this occasion: “We are pleased to welcome this participating group of media professionals, content creators, and representatives of media institutions, and we confirm that our meeting during this global event gives us An opportunity to exchange ideas and viewpoints on the contemporary challenges facing the media sector, in addition to promising investment opportunities that help us develop the best professional practices in various media fields. It also provides us with the opportunity to anticipate and create the media industry of the future, which allows us to share information and data in a way that supports growth and sustainability. “And enhances the happiness and well-being of our communities.”
The activities of the first day of the World Media Congress focused on issues of sustainability and climate change, amid international and global anticipation of the COP28 Conference of the Parties.
Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, Managing Director and CEO of ADNEC Group, said on this occasion: “The discussion sessions during the first day demonstrated the ability of the media to shed light on the main issues related to the environment and climate change, and to contribute to achieving a positive and real impact to protect global ecosystems.. Congress plays a role in Global Media plays a vital role as a platform that brings together media leaders, creatives and activists to discuss the issue of sustainability and climate change, which is one of the main issues that directly affects our societies. Within the framework of its commitment to achieving the UAE’s wise leadership approach, the ADNEC Group seeks to adopt and support innovative ideas that support Prosperity, and enhance meaningful industrial partnerships.”
This year's edition, Congress will host five accompanying events - some of which are being held for the first time - including the Innovation and Startup Platform, which includes more than 5 startup companies, training and education with more than 24 workshops, and the Future of Media Labs, which hosts high-level discussions through six closed sessions. The Influential Innovation Platform offers specialized dialogue sessions on new media with the participation of experts, speakers, innovators, and a group of global media leaders.
The opening session of the conference witnessed a rich discussion on interactive applications of artificial intelligence technologies, with the participation of a diverse group of speakers from Asia, Europe, Africa, the Americas and Australia.
During the session, speakers discussed the impact of the development of artificial intelligence on the media as a driver of new practices across the sector, especially with regard to analyzing data and transforming it into reliable media stories capable of achieving the desired impact and interaction.
A ministerial dialogue session was held entitled “Governmental Communication Means to Aware Public Awareness of Climate Change Issues: Insights and Experiences,” moderated by Mustafa Al Rawi, Acting Director General of the CNN Economic Platform in the UAE, and hosted Jorge Rodriguez Vives, Minister of Communications of Costa Rica, and His Excellency Wang Yibiao - Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the People's Daily in China, and Zuzana Veseljevic, Media Advisor to the President of the Republic of Serbia.
Jorge Rodriguez Vives pointed out that 25% of the Costa Rica province has become a public park, while Yibiao explained that China has greened more than two billion acres of land over the past decade. Meanwhile, Vasiliević touched on Serbia’s cooperation with many Emirati companies to overcome climate challenges. .
Dr. Charlie Beckett, Professor of Practice, Director of the Polis Project and the “Journalism and Artificial Intelligence” Project at London College in the United Kingdom, gave a presentation on the “Journalism and Artificial Intelligence” project, during which he highlighted the latest results of the project and its implications compared to the significant and ongoing shift towards the integration of artificial intelligence in the press. Beckett noted that while generative AI can help newsrooms create content, its reliability may not be reliable without human intervention.
During her participation, Laura Nix addressed the issue of content production in the era of sustainability, and the importance of environmental awareness in the media. She supported solution-based storytelling by focusing on change makers who are able to educate their audience by practically addressing basic climate change issues in humane and empathetic ways.
At the development platform, the UAE Space Agency hosted a side dialogue on using social media to inspire new generations based on innovation and future technologies.
The same platform witnessed the hosting of social media celebrities Alaa and Sarah, who gave a presentation entitled “How to reach a million viewers during your first video” to shed light on their inspiring journey towards achieving 500 million views in two years across all social media channels. They explained that they faced many challenges in The beginning of their journey in the world of content development, but they overcame it through determination, goal setting, and continuity, noting that the story is the most important element to attract audiences.
The session “Voices of Youth: Insights from Influencers of Awareness Content Creators on the Climate Crisis” hosted John Paul Josey, environmental justice activist from India, Zachary Pentatos, lead participant, UAE Independent Accelerators for Climate Change, and Noha Al Nahas, international development expert. Media personality from the Arab Republic of Egypt. The session was moderated by Pedro Hartung, Executive Director of the Alana Foundation from Brazil.
The first day of Congress concluded with a panel discussion entitled “Voices of Youth,” which included influential figures who contribute to raising awareness of the climate crisis.
These figures showcased how young creatives can shape the narrative around climate change.
The session was moderated by Pedro Hartung, Executive Director of the Alana Foundation from Brazil, and hosted Paul Jose, environmental justice activist from India, Zachary Pentatos, Lead Participant, UAE Independent Accelerators for Climate Change, and Noha El Nahas, international development media expert from Egypt. .
The session discussed the importance of having new youth media platforms compared to traditional means of exchanging views on climate change and environmental issues through clear, concise messages with a positive impact. Participants stressed the need for positive messages that propose sustainable solutions.
(is over)