IGCF 2021 To Address Key Questions About Future Of Youth

SHARJAH, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 11th Sep, 2021) The International Government Communication Forum (IGCF) 2021 is organising exciting brainstorming sessions and youth interactions to initiate conversations to mobilise the youth alongside the key stakeholders such as the media, and social media influencers, thereby integrating their voices and contributions as future leaders into the nation’s developmental journey.

The forum will be held on the sidelines of the region’s leading forum on government communication, under the theme "Historic lessons, future ambitions", at Expo Centre Sharjah on 26th and 27th September, 2021. The range of activities include sessions such as "The Fifth Generation of Ideas" as part of the Arab Youth Forum; a debate on the influencers’ role titled "Infodemic"; "Misleading news in the time of the coronavirus", as well as a session for journalists, titled "Journalism’s prospects".

Led by leading industry experts, these discussions and workshops at the IGCF 2021 seek to promote critical thinking as a key factor of effective communication, both generally and in the government sector.

There will be discussions on the historical experience of government communication and the lessons learned thereof to facilitate government communication teams in their daily practices. The sessions will also focus on strategic approaches to understanding the history of communication, which will help build a better future for communities and promote development and stability.

Influencers’ Forum With government communication departments waking up to the magnitude of the impact and change that influencers can bring about through digital communication platforms and social media, the session titled "Infodemic" will discuss the public's perception of social media influencers, their role in shaping their country's image and how government communication departments can cooperate with them to address ‘infodemics’ – the rapid spread of unreliable information that makes a solution more difficult to achieve.

Award-winning television anchor, Nada Al Shaibani, host of "Hatha Ana" on Abu Dhabi tv, will moderate the session with Haitham Al Hammadi.

Youth and ‘The Fifth Generation of Ideas’ "The Fifth Generation of Ideas" session will focus on several key areas of concern including factors that can help people achieve a balance between material success and emotional development; the role of government communication in achieving a balance between emotional intelligence and social intelligence; the young generation’s perception of societies of the future and their role in strengthening them; and redesigning mindsets to meet the pace of life-altering changes.

Maitha Mohammed, a young Emirati artist and content creator who targets Emirati youth and their parents through her work, and Marwan Al-Shehhi, a television host on Sama Dubai and a member of the UAE’s Youth Council since 2019, will moderate the session.

Fake News in the Time of COVID-19 Mohammed Jalal Al Rayssi, Director-General of Emirates News Agency (WAM), will lead this interactive session. It will process the misinformation campaign about the Coronavirus pandemic on social media and its implications for society and international security; and how the media counteracted with agility, leveraging technology to communicate credible news. False and malicious news, and challenges faced by media professionals in times of crisis are among the other topics that will be discussed.

Future of journalism This session will focus on the future of journalism against the backdrop of profound and rapid digital transformation in the media industry. More than 30 editors-in-chief from local and international media outlets will discuss the challenges in store, the tools used by them to communicate effectively, and the methods they employ to connect with their readers and audiences. The experts will also offer thoughtful solutions on keeping the newspaper relevant in the digital era. Media person Marwan Al Hel will moderate the session.