Ahmed officially opens Arab Media Summit

Sheikh Ahmed Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Media Council, officially opened the Arab Media Summit 2025 in the presence of prominent regional and global leaders.

Attended by approximately 8,000 professionals, the Summit continues to serve as the region’s foremost platform for media thought leadership, policy dialogue, and the shaping of future narratives.

Joining Sheikh Ahmed at the opening were Professor Dr Ahmed Al Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al Azhar and President of the Muslim Council of Elders; Dr Nawaf Salam, Prime Minister of Lebanon; Sheikh Mansoor Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Olympic Committee; Sheikha Latifa Bint Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority; and senior media leaders, ministers, policymakers, and content creators from across the Arab region and the world.

Sheikh Ahmed toured the Arab Media Summit venue during which he praised the meticulous organisation of the three-day Summit and its various events.

During the official opening of the Summit, Professor Dr Ahmed Al Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, delivered a keynote address in which he expressed his admiration for the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, which has guided this pivotal summit that serves as a vital platform for intellectual and media discourse across the Arab and Islamic world.

Collaborative Arab media strategy

He praised the Summit’s emphasis on the crucial role of Arab media in addressing the ethical challenges of a rapidly evolving and interconnected world.

He expressed the hope that the gathering would result in a practical, collaborative Arab media strategy, one that reflects the realities of the Arab world and protects its youth from the complex risks accompanying rapid technological advancement.

The Grand Imam warned of the harmful influence of certain digital platforms that promote messages distorting public taste and innate morality, which blur the lines between right and wrong, good and bad.

“We, Arabs and Muslims, have suffered from media reports and narratives that distort our image in the West by linking Islam with violence, extremism, and the oppression of women,” he stated.

“These narratives falsely portray Islam as a social movement or political ideology that promotes violence, fanaticism, hatred, and rebellion against the global order.”