Sharjah wraps up media congress on strong note

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Sharjah wrapped up its participation in the third Global Media Congress (GMC) session on Thursday on a strong note with more than 20 insightful discussion sessions and training workshops organised by the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority, the Sharjah Government Media Bureau, and Sharjah Media City (Shams), over three days.

Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, visited the Sharjah pavilion on Thursday and was briefed on the various initiatives that embody the emirate’s strong media profile and identity.
Dr Al Jaber was pleased to learn about the Smart Media Platform of the Sharjah Government Media Bureau, which streamlines the media work and activities of all Sharjah government institutions.

The platform offers digital services that embrace the latest global technological advances in order to support government media professionals in the emirate and simplify their work procedures.

The final day of the Abu Dhabi Congress featured a lively discussion on the quality of Arabic content, artificial intelligence, and the role of social media in shaping values while providing the public with mechanisms for using drones.
The Sharjah stand also hosted a reading of the book, “Quality of Arabic Content in Light of the Use of Artificial Intelligence Technologies... Professional Automated Content Creation” presented by Dr Mohamed Abdel Zaher and Dr Sherine Moussa, members of the Academic Committee of the International Government Communication Forum.

The interactive session reviewed the most prominent applications of artificial intelligence that enhance support for the Arabic language, with the presentation of various institutional experiences that succeeded in effectively employing artificial intelligence in the production of Arabic content, and discussing the challenges and ethics of using generative artificial intelligence applications. In the workshop “The Future of Artificial Intelligence in the Media,” Moaz Saleh Al Omari, CEO of AIZATION for Artificial Intelligence Services and Products, spotlighted media experiences for creating content in its various forms based on analyses of audience trends and preferences.

The workshop tackled future media trends and their connection to modern technology and analysis tools that can be used in building content strategies.
The debate discussed “Social Media Communication and the New Generation: Platforms for Shaping or Destroying Values?”

The debate, which was attended by graduates of the Ithmar Media Training Program for Children and Youth, organised by the Sharjah Press Club, explored the values and concepts that may be formed in new generations as a result of using social media platforms, and to what extent they can affect the knowledge of the new generation.

The debate also addressed how to enhance positive interaction with social media platforms among children and youth, and discussed whether the solution lies in positive awareness or preventing use.

The students agreed on the need to build awareness among children and youth on using social media platforms correctly and to ensure that they benefit from them in a constructive manner consistent with their customs, values and beliefs. The Sharjah Pavilion also held a training workshop entitled “Uses of the Drone,” presented by trainer Khaled Al Hosani, to introduce the public to the components of the drone, its types, methods and mechanisms of use, and the skills of controlling the drone, in addition to enhancing the public’s knowledge of issues such as the transmission system, safety systems and prohibited flying areas.
The Sharjah pavilion offered a plethora of interactive platforms that showcased the emirate’s media experience and work mechanisms, in addition to digital screens that display the latest developments in media and communication. The “Hadith Shams” podcast by the Shams offered a series of knowledge-rich discussions featuring eminent guests.

Visitors to the pavilion also experienced the best of Sharjah’s cultural and scientific heritage, through an exhibition titled, “Collections from Sharjah Museums” by the Sharjah Museums Authority.

The agenda of the Sharjah government media institutions varied to mirror the distinguished identity and achievements of the emirate and its media, cultural, knowledge and investment offerings.

The activities included more than 20 interactive sessions and workshops that spotlighted emirate’s landmark accomplishments in various sectors including education, food security, investment and agriculture sector, youth empowerment, effective communication models adopted by Sharjah’s government institutions and opportunities provided by artificial intelligence for the media sector in addition to the emirate’s encouragement of creativity and promotion of the Arabic language and Arabic content.