Dubai: The Arab Media Forum (AMF) will introduce a new format this year with 20-minute-sessions, which will be held alongside the plenary sessions. The 14th edition of the AMF will take a hard look at issues making headlines in the Arab world as well as providing an in-depth regional outlook from the viewpoint of journalists, politicians and intellectuals from around the globe.
The two-day forum, seen as the premier media event in the Arab world, will welcome leading Arab and international journalists, media professionals, academics and thought leaders.
The Organising Committee of the 14th Arab Media Forum (AMF) revealed details of the plenary sessions featured in this year’s forum.
One of the forum’s plenary sessions, titled “Perspectives that are changing the world”, will provide a critical review of the situation in the Arab world today. The fast-paced changes, regional conflicts and pressing issues such the rise of terrorism and violence in the region will be discussed by a panel of speakers that include the general manager of Al Arabiya Television News Network, Turki Al Dakhil; the director of the Middle East Centre at the London School of Economics, Dr Fawaz Gerges; the chairwoman of Emirates Policy Centre, Dr Ebtisam Al Ketbi; and the head of Sky News Arabia, Nart Bouran. The session will be moderated by Naoufer Ramoul, TV anchor at Dubai Media Incorporated.
Media on the front line
The forum agenda also features a session about “Operation Decisive Storm”, titled “Media on the front line”. It elaborates on the role of media as a functional weapon in this war due to its ability to drive public opinion and mobilise people. Panellists include the editor-in-chief of Asharq Al Awsat newspaper, Salman Al Dossary; the president of the Gulf Security and Peace Forum, Dr Fahd Al Sulaimi; the vice- chancellor of United Arab Emirates University, Dr Ali Al Nuaimi, and the president of the think tank London Global Strategy Institute, Dr Mamoun Fandy. The session will be moderated by Najwa Qasim, TV presenter, Al Arabiya News Channel
Hooliganism on the part of overzealous fans and supporters is a reality across the sporting world. Sports media in the Arab world can be accused of being one of the culprits behind the rise of hooliganism, especially with the region’s social and political conflicts spilling over into sports coverage. This is a session dedicated to discussing the role of sports media in aggravating hooliganism in the Arab world. The session will be moderated by the head of MBC Sports, Mustafa Agha. It will attempt to answer how media outlets can balance passion and responsibility when covering sporting competitions. Among the speakers in this session are the member of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Executive Office, Mohammad Khalfan Al Rumaithi; the former Algerian minister of information, Ezzuddin Mayhubi; and the Egyptian sports critic, Hassan Al Mestikawi.
With the global spotlight on the Arab world due to the political upheaval in the region, now more than ever, international media organisations are forming the basis of how the Middle East is perceived and understood by a global audience. This session will look at the Arab world from the perspective of two leading media organisations in the West. Op-Ed columnist for the International New York Times, Roger Cohen, and the director for global news at Agence France Press, Michele Leridon, will discuss how the international media views and covers recent events in the Arab world, as well as its outlook for near future. The session is moderated by Faisal Abbas, the editor-in-chief of Al Arabiya.net English.
