Zayed bin Hamdan reviews SGMB initiatives at GMC

Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan keenly listened to an introduction about the Smart Media Platform, one of the flagship initiatives of the Sharjah Government Media Bureau, by HE Tariq Saeed Allay, Director General of the Sharjah Government Media Bureau, and HE Alya Al Suwaidi, Director of the Sharjah Government Media Bureau.

The Smart Media Platform, unveiled as part of the media vision and project of the Emirate, aims to unify and coordinate the media work of all Sharjah government agencies and institutions, and contributes to enhancing the level of government discourse with the public. The Smart Media Platform brings together various takeholders and enhances their media compentencies and helpms them to work as a united team with a team spirit.

The SGMB has unveiled a strong agenda at the Abu Dhabi Media Congress hosting a number of engaging activities and workshops, which continues until November 16, at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.

The day two of the SGMB’s participation in the Media Congress dealt with the topics of new media and societal sustainability, and showcased the experiences of young people and their active contributions to society. The sessions also discusssed the challenges and opportunities young people face while anticipating the future of media in the age of artificial intelligence.  The day two sessions also addressed the importance of a culture of innovation and capacity development.

The session “The Future of Media in the Age of Artificial Intelligence” was addressed by Dr Hamad Al Kaabi, Editor-in-Chief of Al-Ittihad newspaper, Dr. Muhammad Abdel Zaher, CEO of the Artificial Intelligence Journalism Foundation for Research and Foresight (AIJRF), and Dr. Muhammad bin Musa, Assistant Dean of the College of Communication at the University of Sharjah. The session was moderated by Ismail Al Shaibani, a presenter at the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority.

The session discussed the opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence, the ethics of its use and how to employ it optimally to serve media work. The session also discussed the impact of AI on the media industry and how it is shaping its future, outlining the variables of journalistic work while anticipating the future of media professions in the era of artificial intelligence.

Khalid Ibrahim Al Nakhi, Director of the Sharjah Capacity Development Foundation, discussed successful examples of the Foundation’s achievements, stressing the importance of spreading the culture of innovation for its developmental role.

Addressing the session titled, “Skills Development: Stimulating Innovation,” which was moderated by Dr. Abdul Salam Al Hammadi, broadcaster at the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority, Al-Nakhi reviewed ways to adapt and use technology and creative ideas to direct the industry towards a more developed future. He pointed out that the Sharjah Capacity Development Foundation aims to attract young leaders and support them with their creativity. The Foundation focuses Its programmes to develop the skills of the passionate, ambitious youth.

The session titled, “Pioneers of Change Experiences and Challenges” reviewed the outstanding contributions and experiences of some young people who won the Sharjah Government Communication Award categories, and discussed the challenges they face, and how to use modern technologies to enhance their contributions to society and help inspire other young people to participate in this important field, stressing the importance of launching a platform for young people that exploits their creativity in areas related to government communication.

The winners of the Sharjah Government Communication Award for the tenth session in the category of Best Youth Initiative in Government Communication who participated in the session included Muhammad Al-Ajmani, Chairman of the Youth Council of the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention, Engineer Dalal Taymour, Maryam Al-Kindi, and Mira Al-Marzouqi from the Youth Council of the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention. 

Hussain Al Mulla, Media Relations Executive at the SGMB, tackled the issue of “New Media and Community Sustainability” and its role in influencing and developing society. He stressed the importance of spreading awareness by confronting rumours, fake news and accessing information from authentic sources.

The activities on the day two concluded with a session on the professional skills required in digital media, addressed by Dr. Sherine Mousa, Assistant Professor of Media at Kalba University.

Dr Mousa discussed the basic skills that professionals in the field of digital media need to achieve success in view of the development of new technology and the spread of social media and artificial intelligence. She tackled the challenges of content creation and how to develop digital media skills and benefit from educational resources in fast-evolving times.