Media and National Dialogue Seminar

The media seminar seeks to identify the role played by the media in acquainting the Saudi society with the values of dialogue and to further strengthen relations between the Center and the media. The study meeting is also designed to upgrade relation between message and mean of delivery.

Themes of the seminar:
The print media and the national dialogue program, Audio-visual media and the National Dialogue program , The internet and the national dialogue program , Individual and group contacts and the national dialogue program and the international media and national dialogue.

Establishments and personalies targeted to take part in the seminar :

Daily newspapers in the Kingdom, Arab newspapers with wide circulation in the Kingdom, Saudi media (radio, TV, Saudi News Agency and external information), Arabic language space channels with big audience in the Kingdom , Editors of cultural magazines and publications specializing in the Kingdom and All those who are interested in issues relating to dialogue including writers , editors and mass media university professors

Working papers submitted to the seminar:

#	Author's name	Title
1	Dr Thuraya Alaridh	Dialogue, a cultural building practice
2	Jameel Altheyabi	Media and Dialogue
3	Hassan M.Alsagar	Cultural and religious elite
4	Khaled H.Almalik	Dialogue as I wish it
5	Salwa A.M.Shakir	Audiovisual media and dialogue
6	S. A. Alaqili	Media and Dialogue
7	S. D. Daajani	Literary Halls and Dialogue
8	Dr A.Z.Zunaidi	Friday Sermon and Dialogue
9	Dr A.M. Alqahtani	Media Role in strengthening, Dialogue
10	Dr A.N. Alhamoud	Re-evaluating Dialogue
11	A.M.Altayer	Audiovisual media and dialogue
12	Dr F. Alqarni	Media and national dialogue
13	Faleh A. Alsageer	Media and Dialogue
14	Dr F.A. Ashahri	The Internet and Dialogue
15	Dr F. A, Alkhuraiji	The Dialogue in Media
16	Dr M.M. Almajed	Media and National Dialogue
17	Dr M.S. Azahrani	Books for and against Dialogue
18	M.A. H. A. Sulaiman	Audiovisual Media and Dialogue
19	N.S. Bashtah	Media and Dialogue
20	N.A.Bakhsh	Audiovisual Media and Dialogue
21	H.D.Salman	The internet and strengthening the culture of dialogue

Final statement of the seminar

The king Abdulaziz Center for National Dialogue organized the media and dialogue seminar on Saturday, November 26, 2005. The aim of the study meeting was to identify the role played by various types of mass media in acquainting the Saudi society with the values of dialogue . The meeting was also designed to bolster relation between the center and the media . A total of 60 media representatives and academics took in the four sessions of the meeting A total of six working papers were submitted during the first session which was devoted to relations between the media and national dialogue program .

The meeting discussed during the second session the role of individual and group contacts in advancing the cause of national dialogue. Four working papers were submitted during this session. Three working papers were submitted during the third session which discussed the national dialogue and the internet During the fourth and last session which discussed mass communication and dialogue a total of seven working papers were submitted .

During the meeting participants were in upbeat mood . They discussed ways and means for upgrading the role of the media in propagating the culture of dialogue . The participants welcomed the decision to give the Fifth national Form in Abha live coverage . They expressed the hope that such a move would take the message of dialogue to the largest possible number of people . The participants discussed a number of suggestions and ideas including:

1. setting up a media committee which brings together leading media people, academics and other top professionals . The main task of the committee will be to further strengthen areas of cooperation between the Center and the media and to draw up a media strategy for the Center.

2. paying more attention to diversity in the media with the aim of confronting diverse campaigns on the internet.

3. drawing up a media code of conduct with the aim of avoiding possible exaggeration or committing errors in dealing with others.

4. underscoring the important role that civic society groups can play in spreading the message of dialogue and strengthening cultural diversity and expressing the need for supporting civic society groups in their efforts to propagate the culture of dialogue.

5. encouraging contacts among different religious and cultural leaderships and meetings among various social and religious groups.

6. organizing annual forums for owners of cultural halls in the Kingdom under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Information and Culture and the King Abdulaziz Centre for National Dialogue.

7. paying due respect to the elites and intellectuals and giving them more opportunity to enjoy greater freedom of expression in the hope that this will definitely result in the spreading of free and creative form of dialogue.

8. supporting patriotic webcites and encouraging them to hold dialogue seminars which can serve as a good pattern for effective dialogue.

9. preempting any obstacle that hinders full cooperation between media and the national dialogue program.

10. keeping up this forum after discussions with specialists in various areas of human endeavor with the aim of further strengthening the principle of dialogue among all sections of the Saudi society.

In line with what has been discussed in this seminar the King Abdulaziz Center for National Dialogue will soon begin the task of setting up a special task force with the aim of further strengthening cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and Information and with various information and cultural establishments in the country with the aim of realizing the aims and objectives of the Center and giving fresh impetus to its information message at home and abroad.