Dubai: The Government of Dubai Media Office (GDMO) today launched the International Media Diplomacy Program in partnership with the Protocol School of Washington.
Offered exclusively to members of the Dubai Media Diplomacy and Communication Network, the Program aims to help communication leaders in the UAE’s public and private sectors lead in today’s globalised environment, and respond innovatively to the challenges of communicating in a changing media landscape. The Program will be held from 10 to 16 November 2017 in Washington DC.
Mona Al Marri, Director General of GDMO, welcomed participants in the Program, and said that the course is part of GDMO’s efforts to provide training for Network members that facilitates a deeper understanding of global communication best practices. The Program is one of its initiatives aimed at supporting the vision of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai to ensure Dubai is 10 years ahead of other cities of the world. The move also reflects the directives of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council (DEC), to focus on training and provide the members of the Network with the best learning opportunities to support them in delivering Dubai’s message in the best possible way.
Al Marri thanked the UAE ambassador to the USA Yousuf Al Otaiba for the support extended to GDMO for the organisation of the event; she also commended the support of the UAE Embassy in the USA.
“Effective communication will be particularly important in realising the UAE’s aspiration to be a global leader across sectors, as part of the vision of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid. This Program will help communication leaders draw from international best practices to look at communication strategy from a completely new perspective,” Al Marri said.
“The UAE’s achievements and its emergence as a global model for tolerance, gender equality, cultural diversity, innovation, and a future global city represent a compelling story. This Program aims to help communication leaders powerfully tell this story to the world. It will help participants bring a new level of creativity and innovation to their communication practice. At the same time, the Program has been designed to address the opportunities and challenges the participants encounter in their leadership roles,” Her Excellency added.
Participants will dive deep into today’s complex communication landscape. Through this educational experience, they will have a stronger understanding of media diplomacy, international relations, cross-cultural communication, international protocol, leadership, executive presence and powerful messaging skills. Led by world-class faculty who are thought leaders and skilled educators, participants will be provided with tools and practical experience in the field of media diplomacy and international relations to successfully and efficiently represent the UAE as leading communication professionals both in the country and abroad.
The Program will further prepare the candidates to think proactively on how to engage, communicate, react, and adapt to strategic media challenges of today’s world. This Program will give them fresh perspectives on media diplomacy and international relations, building on their existing experience and skills. .
The Program will be delivered in six modules. The first five include The Global Context - Public Diplomacy and International Relations; Cross-Cultural Communication; Protocol and Executive Presence; Leadership - An Art, Not a Science; and Strategic Media Messaging. The last module will guide the participants to reflect on what they have learned and devise a plan of action to implement in their organisations.
The ‘Public Diplomacy and International Relations’ module is designed to provide participants with a common context for viewing the world and their own role in it both in terms of their specific professional responsibilities and their service as examples to younger colleagues they encounter and mentor. In the ‘Cross-Cultural Communication’ module, participants will learn to build relationships by understanding people with diverse cultural backgrounds. The ‘Protocol and Executive Presence’ module will feature key components of emotional and social intelligence, the role of protocol and its history, how protocol tools can enhance relationships by understanding proper precedence, official seating and gift exchanges. The fourth module on ‘Leadership - An Art, Not a Science’ is designed to enable participants to reflect on their own leadership style, discuss and compare the qualities of successful leaders and communicators which are culture specific and universal, and focus on ways they intend to strengthen their capabilities and experiment with new practices.
In the fifth module on ‘Strategic Media Messaging’, participants will learn best practices in media relations and gain skills for communicating effectively with local and global media. The last module will guide the participants to reflect on what they have observed and learned and devise a plan of action to implement upon their return.
The Program will also feature three days of organisational visits for the participants focused on experiential learning through visits and discussions with high level thought leaders located at unique locations in Washington D.C.
The International Media Diplomacy Program follows the successful organisation of the Strategic Communication Program, the first programme developed by GDMO for members of the Dubai Media Diplomacy and Strategic Communication Network. The Program, created in partnership with Emirates Diplomatic Academy (EDA), offered an in-depth understanding of global communication practices and advanced strategic skills was held from 3 October to 31 October, 2017. The course was delivered by Bernardino Leon, President, EDA; Tom Fletcher, former UK Ambassador to Lebanon and author of ‘Naked Diplomacy’; Paulo Portas, former Deputy Prime Minister of Portugal; and Mishaal Gergawi, Managing Director of Delma Institute.
