The Conference Commended ICESCO’s Efforts in Training Journalists and Preparing Media Studies

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) participated in the 12th Islamic Conference of the Ministers of Information of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), held on October 21-22, 2022, in Istanbul, Republic of Turkey, under the theme “Combating Disinformation and Islamophobia in the Post-Truth Era.”
The opening session witnessed the handover of the presidency of the Conference from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Republic of Turkey. In his address, Mr. Hissein Ibrahim Taha, OIC Secretary-General, warned against the danger of disinformation and distortion of facts, calling for coordination and cooperation between Muslim countries and Islamic organizations to modernize media discourse in line with current changes to face these challenges.

Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al Qasabi, Minister of Media of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, reviewed the outcomes of the 11th Session of the Conference, headed by Saudi Arabia, while Dr. Fahrettin Altun, Head of Communications Directorate of the Republic of Turkey, indicated that disinformation is increasing due to the negative use of social media platforms.

Afterward, the Conference elected Turkey as chairperson, Saudi Arabia as rapporteur and Palestine, Somalia and Guinea-Bissau as members of its bureau during closed working sessions. It also adopted the Media Affairs Resolution, which called upon Muslim countries to cooperate and coordinate with regard to media affairs and support the Palestinian cause, as well as the Istanbul Declaration and the approval of the offer of the Republic of Azerbaijan to host its 13th session.

The media affairs resolution commended ICESCO’s efforts in training journalists and its study on media contents on Islam in the light of international law, calling on the General Secretariat of OIC to adopt it in joint Islamic media action.

Mr. Sami El-Kamhawy, Director of Information and Institutional Communication Department, represented ICESCO at this conference. He held meetings with several delegations of countries and the representatives of international organizations on ways to strengthen cooperation and reviewed the major initiatives, programmes and projects implemented by ICESCO, especially in the field of information, in light of its new vision and strategic orientations.