Jeddah (UNA) – In his speech during the symposium on “Standards of Arabic Language Use in OIC News Agencies” held on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, the Director General of the Union of News Agencies of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Mr. Mohammed bin Abdrabuh Al-Yami, stressed the importance of standards for language use in news agencies and ways to regulate and improve these standards, which would positively reflect on the linguistic level used in news agencies in the member states and enhance the accurate and disciplined delivery of the media message.
He emphasized, during the virtual symposium, co-organized by UNA and the King Salman International Academy for the Arabic Language, that preserving the Arabic language is a fundamental pillar of Islamic identity, given that it is the language of the Holy Qur’an and the repository of the scientific, philosophical, and literary creativity of Islamic civilization throughout its various historical stages.
He explained that the issue of regulating language usage standards in news agencies in OIC member states is a thorny issue, given the significant challenges facing such regulation, such as linguistic and dialectal diversity, differences in language and editorial policies from one country to another, and weak coordination and communication among member states on issues related to language usage.
He explained that UNA is keen to contribute to addressing this issue by monitoring the status of the Arabic language in the news agencies of non-Arabic-speaking member states, documenting various issues related to language usage, the challenges in this regard, and ways to address them, while simultaneously working to establish channels for exchanging media content in accordance with clear editorial standards and principles.
He added, "We hope this symposium will serve as a launching pad for further programs to regulate language usage in news agencies, particularly as we leverage the expertise and experience of the King Salman International Academy for the Arabic Language, which is one of the world's leading authorities on Arabic language policies and the development of programs aimed at empowering it in various fields."
The Director General of UNA expressed his thanks and gratitude to the Academy, under the leadership of its Secretary General, Professor Abdullah bin Saleh Al-Washmi, for its significant efforts in promoting the spread of the Arabic language globally, supporting the Union's Arabic-related programs, and empowering it in news agencies in non-Arabic-speaking Islamic countries, thus strengthening the bonds of communication among Islamic peoples.
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