Mona Ghanem Al Marri, President of the Dubai Press Club, delivered the opening speech at the 19th edition of the Arab Media Forum (AMF) in the virtual presence of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. The forum was organized virtually by the Dubai Press Club, while following the protocols of Covid-19 and brought all prominent industry leaders together to discuss media sector in the region.

Mona Al Marri said that the participation of media figures despite the pandemic circumstances, sends an important message to continue working for development of Arab world’s media sector. “The current crisis has been a real test for media around the world. It pushed us to think differently about how to create a better Arab media industry. Many media organisations in the region have been affected by the global crisis due to the declining advertising market, which is the main source of revenue. However, media content not only continued to be delivered during these difficult times, it also evolved, particularly across digital platforms,” Al Marri said.

She added, “There is no doubt that today the stakes are higher for content, digital tools and platforms that offer Arab audiences a more impactful and engaging media experience. The biggest challenge for Arab media lies in the crisis of trust among large segments of the public, especially the youth. Arab media institutions do not satisfy the needs of the youth who are set to bring profound transformations in the future. The youth need to be given more attention.”

The President of the Dubai Press Club said that the Organising Committee of the AMF was keen to add various developments that impacted region at various levels, especially political and social. However, the prime focus was on the pandemic and its extreme impact on economic, social and health sectors.

The Arab Media Forum was launched 20 years ago under the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. It is region’s largest gathering of the media industry. The prestigious event has been instrumental in fostering dialogue between various regional media industry players and their global counterparts on transformations affecting the media industry.

AMF’s vision is to transform region’s media landscape in the region by promoting adoption of the latest technology, industry trends, and international best practices.

The 19^th edition of AMF was held under the theme ‘Arab Media: The Future is Digital’, and witnessed over 10,000 people assessing the Forum’s sessions. These sessions were broadcast live on a special platform set up for the Forum and through the live feature on DPC’s official Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts. The Arab Journalism Award ceremony was also broadcast live which honored 11 outstanding journalists in the Arab world.

Arab Media Forum, the annual largest gathering of media stakeholders in the region, has provided a significant platform to discuss ideas and solutions to boost and enhance the progress and prosperity of the region over the last two decades. 

WAM