The International Forum on the theme “The Media and its Role in Fueling Hatred and Violence: The Dangers of Misinformation and Bias” has been held in the city of Jeddah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Co-organized by the Muslim World League (MWL) and the Union of News Agencies of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (UNA), the forum brought together ministers and ambassadors, as well as representatives of news agencies of several countries.
The Azerbaijan State News Agency (AZERTAC), a member of the UNA Executive Council, was also represented at the forum.
In his opening remarks, Secretary-General of the Muslim World League, Chairman of the Association of Muslim Scholars Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa said that the Forum is dedicated to a very topical issue for mankind.
Sheikh Al-Issa pointed out that despite the international interest in confronting the phenomenon of hatred, this disease, which has turned into an epidemic state, due to the gap between abstract legislation and pending implementation, has become intractable except from “a conscious, sincere and effective collective will.” He drew attention to the role of the media in combating these and similar negative situations, adding that by using the media in an equitable way, it is possible to convey the truth and thus, prevent division within societies.
Speaking at the event, Minister of Information of Palestine Ahmad Assaf touched upon the recent developments taking place in Gaza. The minister expressed serious concern saying that tensions are rising day by day and causing even greater human tragedy. He noted with regret that lopsided and biased approaches to the developments in the conflict zone in the world media, the dissemination of fake news and misinformation prevent bringing about a fair settlement to the crisis.
Ahmad Assaf mentioned that the ultimate goal of the media is to spread a culture of tolerance, justice, and love among people, defuse crises, and avoid provoking strife, hatred, and fragmenting societies.
Minister of Information of the Federal Republic of Somalia Daoud Aweys, UNA Director General Muhammad bin Abd Rabbuh Al-Yami, and other speakers emphasized that the selective application of international law, double standards, and biased approaches, which are among the obstacles to the resolution of military conflicts, leads to further exacerbation of crises.
The forum continued with panel sessions. Speakers highlighted the danger of misinformation spread by biased media to mislead and manipulate public opinion, as well as the methods of combating them.
The forum also featured the screening of a video highlighting the role of the media in shaping public opinion and shaping societies’ awareness, whether positively or negatively.
The event concluded with the announcement of the Final Communiqué.
