Government forum to debate diverse communications

Sharjah: Sharjah Media Centre, organisers of the International Government Communication Forum (IGCF), announced on Friday that the opening session of IGCF on February 22 would highlight the nature of government communications in diverse cultural environments.

The session, titled The future of government communication, will examine case studies and conclude with a showcase of the Jordanian government’s take on the future of government communication in the Arab region.

Attended by His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, the session will host Jose Manuel Barroso, 11th President of the European Commission (2004-2014) and 9th Prime Minister of Portugal (2002-2004), General Sir Richard Shirreff, Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Nato Europe (2010-2014), and Faisal Al Fayez, First Deputy Speaker of the Jordanian Senate Council. Jeremy Bowen, Middle East Editor, BBC, will moderate the session.

Osama Samra, Director of Sharjah Media Centre (SMC), said, “The government communication process has witnessed significant progress over the past few years. To cope with the evolving needs of the community and the emergence of new mediums, government communication practitioners will need to adopt immediate and customised communication strategies that can empower them to achieve sustainable and balanced performance.”

“The discussions at the opening session of the forum will highlight the immediate measures that need to be adopted to ensure greater effectiveness of government communication, as well as the challenges that are likely to affect the shift in government communication methods, given its growing role in conflict resolution towards achieving peace and stability,” he said.

Barroso is expected to bring a definitive point of view to the overall discussions based on his key role as mediator of the peace accords for Angola in Portugal in 1991, and the fact that he, as minister of foreign affairs, launched the talks with the Indonesian minister of foreign affairs that ultimately led to the independence of East Timor.

As Nato’s Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe, General Sir Richard Shirreff operated at the strategic level, engaging closely with allied, coalition and other governments, as well as non-governmental and international organisations to plan and execute campaigns, generate the force levels required and build necessary bridges towards supporting Nato campaigns and operations.

Faisal Al Fayez, on his part, has held key leadership positions, including those of prime minister, minister of the Royal Hashemite Court of Jordan and Jordan’s minister of defence.

The second session of IGCF will discuss the role and challenges faced by government communication departments in creating an environment that fosters dialogue and interaction with the public amid the rapid socio-economic changes sweeping the world today.

Scheduled for February 22, the session will underline the experiences of both the UAE and the UK in the field of government communication, highlighting the variation in government department practices based on cultures and traditions.