Algiers (UNA/WAJ) - On Saturday in Algiers, the Algerian Minister of Communication, Mohamed Laqab, supervised the opening of the activities of an intellectual symposium on “Media and Current Challenges,” as part of the celebration of National Press Day.
The program of this symposium, organized at the International Convention Center “Abdellatif Rahal”, under the high patronage of the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, included several interventions as well as workshops on print journalism and the problem of printing, electronic journalism... challenges and stakes, the role of control authorities in improving journalistic work, professional ethics, and freedom of the press. Integration and disharmony.
The activities of this intellectual symposium were attended by senior officials in the country, national figures, members of the government, and representatives of several ministerial sectors and official bodies.
These events were also attended by the Palestinian ambassador to Algeria, Arab and African figures, and representatives of parliament and civil society, as well as media institutions.
During his participation in the symposium, the Director General of the Union of News Agencies of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (UNA), Mohammed bin Abd Rabbuh Al-Yami, stressed “the Union’s keenness to advance the media sector and enhance communication and contact between member states and the world, in addition to developing the human element and drawing inspiration from the values of Islam in coexistence and openness to the world.”
Many participants in the symposium praised the Algerian media's handling of all Arab issues, especially the Palestinian issue.
Director General of the Arab States Broadcasting Union, Suleiman Abdel Rahim, stressed “the important role of the media in light of the current challenges on the Arab and international arenas, and it is carrying out its mission to raise awareness and spread the truth, especially in light of the presence of social media, which has opened the door to confusion and the spread of false news.”
In the same context, he pointed to “the importance of the media using modern technology and social media and not being satisfied with traditional methods to ensure the marketing of their media material within the framework of international competition.”
Regarding the brutal Zionist aggression against the Gaza Strip, Abdel Rahim praised the role of the Arab media, especially the Algerian media, in “transmitting the ugly image of the occupation and exposing the massacres it commits daily against the Palestinian people,” calling for “the enactment of strict international laws to protect journalists from violence and killing.”
Regarding the Union’s activity during this period, he explained that “Palestine News has the largest percentage of coverage and follow-up, relying on correspondents and also in cooperation with the General Authority for Palestinian Radio and Television, as well as the use of social media.”
For his part, the Director of International Relations at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Radio and Television Union, Ahmed Al-Murtada Abdel Hamid, warned of the misleading media, which - as he said - “sees with one eye and does not see all the crimes that occur in Gaza,” stressing the role of the OIC media in “reporting “The facts, especially regarding Gaza.”
After confirming that the Palestinian issue is “central” to the union, he mentioned organizing several seminars on the massacres committed against the Palestinian people. He also revealed the opening of an office in Ramallah whose mission is “to convey news and facts to confront Western falsification through communication with African and European radio stations.”
Participants in the symposium also stressed the importance of ensuring permanent and continuous training for journalists in line with technological development by organizing training workshops and including programs on how to use modern means of communication.
In his intervention during the symposium, the Dean of the College of Mass Communication at the American University in the United Arab Emirates, Muhammad Qirat, pointed out that practicing media work “is no longer possible through traditional methods in light of the technological development that has contributed to the speed and multiplicity of information transmission.”
He added that the components of successful media “require permanent and continuous training of journalists in line with technological development.”
Qirat warned of what he described as “the media’s neutrality from its true role in enlightening public opinion and conveying the truth with transparency and credibility,” stressing “the importance of investing in the media sector because of its importance in giving a true picture of the country and protecting it from all forms of new generation wars.”
In the same context, he called for “organizing a special workshop on international media with the participation of experts and specialists, and including media programs to advance the sector, while allocating a budget for field and continuing training.”
In his intervention on this occasion, the Director General of the Arab States Broadcasting Union, Suleiman Abdel Rahim, confirmed that the Union has reached the stage of self-financing away from contributions from Arab countries, and is playing its role in “providing exchange to include all parts of the world, and confronting global digital hegemony.”
In the same context, he announced “the allocation of a continuous radio broadcast to cover events in Gaza, while allocating one of the Union’s channels to broadcast Palestinian television for news and programs and to keep abreast of developments taking place in the Strip.”
During the symposium, a group of media institutions, including the Algerian News Agency, were honored by awarding them a “Media Leadership” certificate, along with a group of journalists with a “Media Excellence” certificate for their efforts throughout their professional careers, as well as remembering media figures who passed away and left their mark in the world of national journalism.
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