Sharjah: Consultants will demonstrate how officials should handle crisis communications at times of disaster, drawing examples from the recent Malaysia Airlines tragedies and the explosion of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico.

The workshops will be part of the International Government Communication Forum (IGCF) scheduled for February 22-23 at Expo Centre Sharjah.

Discussions will also focus on the impact of digital and social media on relationships between states and people.

Organiser Sharjah Media Centre (SMC) on Monday revealed the IGCF line up, which includes current and former heads of states as well as media personalities from major TV networks.

The forum will discuss how government officials can achieve effective communication with the public, media and other stakeholders.

Those assessed to have excelled in media and state communications will be honoured with the Government Communication Award, which has 12 categories. The award aims to promote best practices in the field of government communication in the UAE and GCC.

This year’s IGCF guests of honour include His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah; President of Liberia Ellen Johnson; Julia Gillard, Australia’s former prime minister; and Lakhdar Brahimi, a former UN diplomat.

Speakers include Jose Barroso, Portugal’s former prime minister and former European Commission president; Alex Aiken, CEO of government communications in the British Prime Minister’s Office; and James Rubin, assistant secretary of state for public affairs under former US President Bill Clinton and former chief spokesman for the US State Department.

Meanwhile, session moderators include BBC Hardtalk host Stephen Sackur, who will interview Gillard on stage; Jeremy Bowen, senior Middle East reporter for the BBC; and Rima Maktabi, TV reporter at Al Arabiya News.

The announcements were made at a gala dinner at Al Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre in the presence of heads of Sharjah government departments, editors of UAE media organisations, and the award’s judging panel.

Addressing the guests, Shaikh Sultan Bin Ahmad Al Qasimi, chairman, SMC, said: “We have heard and read about a lot about the future of the relationship between governments and their people but what we need today is to make carefully thought out decisions so we can drive positive change with the participation of the people.”

He also unveiled the SMC strategic plans for 2015, which will be based on three main themes of development and empowerment, research, and documentation.

SMC Director Osama Samra said IGCF this year will feature a social media contest to encourage participants to share their views through a social media station at the forum.

More information on IGCF is available on sgci.ae.