EMIRATES NEWS AGENCY-WAM
A United Arab Emirates proposal on the role of the media in promoting the values of tolerance and combating extremism was approved by the 64th meeting of the Arab Information Ministers’ Council, held under the chairmanship of the United Arab Emirates, at the General Secretariat of the Arab League in Cairo, Egypt.
The council emphasized the vital importance of Arab media organizations in spreading the culture of tolerance and fighting extremism as part of a holistic media strategy that makes better use of both traditional and modern media platforms. It is also intended to promote dialogue and interaction among Arab-Islamic nations and other peoples by highlighting the values of the Arab-Islamic civilization, which denounce practices of fanaticism, extremism and terrorism.
The UAE proposal to the 64th Ordinary Session of Arab Ministers of Information Council in Cairo said: “Tolerance is one of the finest values that contributes to sustainability and progress of human communities, elevates the value of peaceful co-existence, and addresses common destiny in terms of geography or culture where all work together to realize common human goals under an environment of diversity that builds, rather than destroys.
“It is the responsibility of social, educational and cultural institutions to disseminate the values of tolerance and counter-terrorism. However, media actors remain the key facilitator to reaching these goals, given their far-reaching ability to reach out to millions of peoples and to spread information to influence public opinion through news and through other entertainment, religious, cultural and marketing programs.”
The blueprint calls for fostering Arab intellectual and media talent to produce media content that preaches the values of tolerance, acceptance and respect. It would also attract influential personalities and institutions in the West so as to interact and communicate with Arab communities through conferences, research and studies with the aim of presenting the values of Arab civilization. It also calls for the launching of massive media campaigns to counter the extremist ideology within the Arab world and the rest of the world.
Additionally, the UAE proposal called for initiatives such as providing cultural and media opportunities to young generations to practice their right to communication and to responsible cultural expression. The proposal stressed that extremist religious rhetoric should not be given space in the media.
The proposal recommended a series of media initiatives be launched to deliver these goals. These include specialized e-channels and media platforms in Arabic that aim to build a culture of tolerance and to counter extremist and terrorist ideology.
In July 2015, Dr. Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash, UAE minister of state for foreign affairs, and Richard Stengel, U.S. undersecretary of state for public diplomacy, launched the Sawab Center in Abu Dhabi, which aims to counter the online messaging, propaganda and recruitment by Da’ish.
The Sawab Center will use online communication and social media tools to put things in the right perspective and to amplify moderate voices that get drowned out by the noise of extremists. Through its online engagement, the Sawab Center will counter false claims and religious misinterpretations that are being propagated by Da’ish and will seek to engage with those vulnerable online communities that are an easy prey for recruiters.