Chairman of Sharjah Media Centre Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qassimi Sharjah Media Centre (SMC), the media and communications arm of the Government of Sharjah, today announced the agenda for the inaugural International Government Communication Forum (IGCF 2014) to be held under the theme 'Different Roles Mutual Interest'.
Held under the patronage of H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, the forum will run from 22-24 February at the Expo Centre Sharjah bringing together more than 25 regional and international professionals from the government, private and media sector.
Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qassimi, Chairman of Sharjah Media Centre, shared the comprehensive agenda at a press conference held at the Al Qasba Theatre. The media briefing was hosted by Turki Al-Dakhil, an eminent television personality and journalist.
Day one of IGCF 2014 will feature two parallel training workshops for members of the media and government communication professionals. Donald Steel, specialist in reputation and crisis management, will conduct the workshop titled 'Social Media in a Changing World'.
The second workshop 'The Changing Role of Government Communications' will be conducted by Dr Zahera Harb, Senior Lecturer in International Journalism at the Journalism Department, City University London.
The second day of the forum will commence with the official opening ceremony in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and Mikhail Gorbachev, the last ruling President of the Soviet Union and Guest of Honour for IGCF 2014.
The forum's first session will follow the opening ceremony. Titled 'Role of government communications and reputation management in attracting Foreign Direct Investments (FDI)', the session will bring together leading lights such as Felipe Calderon, former president of Mexico, James Wolfensohn, former president of the World Bank Group and Dr. Anwar Mohammed Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs/ Minister of State for Federal National Council Affairs. Tim Sebastian, former presenter of BBC's popular 'HARDtalk', will moderate the session.
The second session elaborating on 'The relationship between government communication and social media activists' will be headlined by Jon Duschinsky, Founder '&' CEO, The Conversation Farm; Dr. Sulaiman Al Hattlan, Founder and CEO of Hattlan Media; and Fadi Salem, Director of the Governance and Innovation Programme, Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government. Zeina Yazigi, popular TV host at Sky News Arabia, will moderate the session.
Source: WAM