Manama: A proper understanding of Gulf dynamics and deep unbiased insights into its civil society are needed to enhance practical relations between the region and the international community, a delegation of media officials from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) stressed during meetings with European officials.
"There has been a tremendous transformation within the GCC, thanks to the immense development across sectors of political, economic and social life," Maysa Abdullateef Al Thawadi, representing Bahrain, said.
"The areas of human rights, women, energy, investments and dialogue among cultures and civilisations have come a long way in the region and the international community needs to be aware of the deep transformations.
"It should also be encouraged to become more conscious of the GCC stances on regional and international issues that are affecting the world," said Maysa, Director of Media Follow Up at Ministry of Information Affairs, on Thursday.
Meeting of minds
The meetings of the GCC officials with think tanks in four European countries — Britain, Germany, Belgium and France — highlighted the significance of an open and honest dialogue that could result in a better appreciation of current political, economic, social and media trends in the region.
"The Gulf delegation was particularly keen on fostering and facilitating dialogues and promoting information exchange and knowledge sharing in order to provide a genuine description of the reality on the ground in the GCC countries and to convey their positions vis-à-vis core regional and international issues while appreciating the points of views of the think tanks," she said.
The delegation comprised members from Bahrain, the current GCC chair, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and the Riyadh-based GCC Secretariat General.
The GCC information ministers in March 2016 had pressed for a robust drive to reach out to think-tanks across Europe and beyond to ensure a more dynamic understanding of the Gulf and a greater mutual understanding that would help boost chances for peace, security and stability.
Productive partnership
"The delegation called for ways to reinforce relations and expand cooperation with the think-tanks. We were also keen on a more productive partnership between the media and the think-tanks to help promote security and peace in the region and the world, combat extremism and terrorism and deepen tolerance and mutual acceptance between cultures," she said.
"I am grateful to the GCC ambassadors in London, Berlin, Brussels and Paris for their tremendous support in preparing the various meetings and to the Ministry of Culture and Information in Saudi Arabia for its direct coordination with prominent think-tanks in Europe."
The GCC countries — Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — had in the past worked on reaching out to the world through holding GCC Days to highlight the Gulf identity, the myriad of achievements it had accomplished and aspirations for a peaceful, secure and stable world.
GCC Days were held in Paris, Brussels, Berlin, The Hague, Madrid, Rome, London, Seoul, Stockholm and Tokyo.
