Sharjah Arabic Language Academy holds news writing workshop

July 01, 2025 / 12:36 PM

Sharjah24: The Arabic Language Academy in Sharjah, in collaboration with University City, organised a specialised training workshop titled “News writing and editing – skills and techniques.” The session was delivered by Dr Bahaa Al-Din Dandis, research and studies expert at the Academy, with the participation of 12 staff members from University City.

The workshop aimed to enhance participants’ skills in preparing and editing news content, improve their writing and language abilities, and enable them to meet professional and stylistic standards in media work.

Professional foundations of news writing

Dr. Amhamed Safi Al-Mustghanemi, Secretary- General of the Arabic Language Academy in Sharjah, stated that writing styles vary depending on their purpose and objectives. He explained that news and journalistic writing has its own unique characteristics and professional foundations, which require employees—especially those in government communications departments—to have precise knowledge of these techniques and high proficiency in applying them.

Al-Mustghanemi stressed the importance of using a simple and clear language when addressing the public, ensuring that ideas are effectively conveyed to audiences with ease. He noted that this simplicity is a cornerstone of eloquent Arabic expression and that true depth lies not in complexity, but in the ability to simplify without compromising meaning or content.

Elements of professional news writing

The workshop included a theoretical component covering types of news, qualities of good reporting, and the structural elements of professional news writing. It also featured practical exercises where participants were trained in drafting news stories professionally, with emphasis on linguistic accuracy, syntactic precision, and correct punctuation usage.

At the conclusion of the workshop, Dr Al-Mustghanemi honoured the participants and awarded them certificates in recognition of their engagement and commitment.

This workshop is part of the Academy’s ongoing efforts to serve the local community and support language and media skills across government institutions, in line with its vision to strengthen the presence of Arabic in professional and communicative fields.