The First University Media Forum, organised by the Media Center for Youth of the Ministry of Culture and Sports, kicked off in Katara – the Cultural Village on Monday.
The forum highlights the provision of safe space in the field of expression and freedom of opinion through electronic platforms and new media outlets, which enables young people to express themselves and their issues freely. The forum brings together local media institutions and a number of international institutions to introduce to the society in general, and university youth and secondary school students in particular, these institutions and their services and programmes. It also seeks to attract local media institutions for outstanding youth projects, and to exchange experiences, knowledge and to encourage young people to engage in the media field and the new media in its various platforms, as well as to support and develop the media movement in the country.
A documentary film was screened during the opening ceremony showing the idea of establishing the Media Center for Youth which was one of the outcome of the First Qatari Youth Forum. Accordingly, the centre was established by the decision of the Minister of Culture and Sports No (109) of 2016 to express the efforts exerted by the Ministry of Culture and Sports to reach Qatari youth who are conscious of the importance of the media and who can contribute to the advancement of the nation.An introductory film was also screened to introduce the OIC Youth Forum, the guest of the forum.
In a speech during the forum, International Programmes Supervisor at the OIC Youth Forum underlined the important role of the media in enhancing the capacity of Islamic youth and its contribution to the renaissance of Muslim societies, noting that the forum, which reflects more than 500,000 young people in OIC countries is working to strengthen partnerships that develop media skills for young people.
The attendees and guests toured the pavilions of the participating institutions in the Forum, most notably, Qatar News Agency (QNA) whose pavilion reviews part of its history since its establishment in 1975, and its vision in conveying the news of the State of Qatar and the world accurately, comprehensively and in a professional manner of journalism through the fastest and easiest means.
Al Jazeera Network, Al Rayyan TV, Qatar University, Near East University, Nadeeb Qatar, etc and a number of youth media initiatives are also taking part in the forum.
Source:gulf-times.com
