Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan
The 6th edition of the International Government Communication Forum (IGCF 2017) has a strategic importance. Under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, the ruler of Emirate Sharjah the IGCF-2017 will be held on March 22-23, 2017. It stands for innovation. It speaks for diversification of resources and productive channels for achieving sustainable development. It applies holistic approach to achieve desired goals and targets. It is pro-development. It is pro-humanity. It is pro-community development.
Leaders of regional and international organisations, representatives of civil society organisations and research institutions, media heavyweights, and media and communication students from universities across the GCC region will participate in IGCF 2017.
Its goals are result oriented. Its objectives are well defined and executed. It covers all aspects of modern life which is strangled with so many threats in the today world of uncertainties. It stresses the need to have a community participatory approach to fight against all kinds of social evils mainly, poverty, unemployment, intolerance, carelessness and the last but not the least, wastage of natural resources. It stands for capacity building measures to be applied for achieving greater socio-economic development, reduction of carbon footnotes, harmony, peace and sustainable development in the country, region and beyond it.
IGCF is the ideal platform to discuss the ways and means that government communication departments can use to support the efforts of their countries in addressing key challenges. It speaks for humanity, harmony and harmonious programs, plans and policies to educate people about their duties and responsibilities towards society, country, region and the world. It upholds the importance of media, message and communication strategies to reduce hatred, prejudice and promote values of development. It has public opinion orientation through successful persuasion and implementation of successful communication strategies. It makes people an integral part of the solutions.
It promote public-private partnership for achieving greater socio-economic development, qualitative life, better medical facilities and availability of clean drinking water. It widens the scope of the private sector to be utilized for the betterment of people at large. It builds partnership between the governments and societies and all its segments in overcoming development challenges. It creates trust between the dynasties with dynamics. It enhances level of social responsibility among the people towards the development of their native countries.
It is about media successful models, strategies, case studies and experiences to educate people, groups, societies and countries to behave sensible in crises. It also engages media personalities and government communication professionals for enhancing awareness of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and explores best international practices that have had a positive influence on public opinion.
It highlights the befitting role of government communication in creating a culture of community partnership. It focuses on mechanisms of building a common ground for media organisations to enhance their collaboration with the public and private sectors. It projects the importance of raising public environmental awareness and the urgent need to integrate the topic into school curricula.
It focus on climate change and ways and means of reinforcing the commitment of governments, industries, official and civil organisations, and communities at large to sustainable development and related legislation for the reduction of climate change threat from this planet. It also highlights sanctions to be imposed on companies and countries that violate environmental protection laws.
It cares about weaker factions of the society mainly elderly, women, children and most importantly disabled children. It debates the effectiveness of government communication campaigns in their impact on the youth and the influence of the choice of media and nature of the message in disseminating the message across.
Social media is a double sword which has introduced a new concept in the orbit of media. It is pro community development and women empowerment. Social media have some serious impact on children and especially youth. Social may be polluted and destructive too because it creates a virtual reality which is non-existence especially in war torn regions. IGCF examines the influence of social media in shaping public opinion on important international issues across social segments and IGCF 2017 will pinpoint some regulator measures to be applied for reducing negative effects of social media.
IGCF stands for better communication skills and strategies and its 6th edition will discuss sustainable development in the region. It emphasizes on the development of common strategy to fight against poverty, illiteracy, environmental pollution and the destruction of nature as a result of wars and conflicts and IGCF-2017 will highlight the role of government communication in reinforcing the importance of community partnership in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It reviews youth and community initiatives which have succeeded in changing the status quo by evoking positive sentiments in their audience.
Middle East is passing through difficult times. Emerging socio-economic, geo-political and geo-strategic scenarios has created elements of chaos, uncertainty and above all fury and combination of all this fuss has also created issues of refugees and immigration. IGCF-2017 will debate on all aspects of the refugee issue with a special focus on women and children refugees. It will cover the effect of current conflicts on children’s education, the role of women in supporting development, and solutions for rehabilitating women and limiting the adverse impact of the refugee status on children. It will try to mitigate the negative consequences of the refugee crisis on the Middle East region.
It engages people, and the next generation. It motivates them to contribute to the country’s prosperity through making simple changes to their daily habits. It also seeks to educate children about helping the less fortunate overcome diverse challenges, and apply their ideas and creativity in addressing development issues and IGCF-2017 will an ideal forum to promote all these spirits among the people and of course children the next generations.
IGCF has now rated as a leading global event that attracts top decision makers, experts and stakeholders in government communication from across the world to discuss diversified but integrated issues of today world. It is an ideal and transparent platform for formulating recommendations to help people and governments alike to channelize their communication strategies to the utmost satisfaction of their audiences. It stands for convergence and not for diversion. It speaks for integration and not for differentiation. It promotes development. It saves life on earth by disseminating value of love to nature to people, groups, societies, regions and the world. It cements spirits of togetherness and showcases UAE true spirits towards humanity, interfaith harmony , peace and the last but not the least, giving.
Concluding Remarks
IGCF is the brainchild of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, the ruler of Emirate Sharjah. Sharjah has achieved immense socio-economic development under his visionary leadership. Now, Sharjah is the icon of innovation, smarter economy and diversification of resources and IGCF an annual event is a value-addition to its further projection of soft image which seeks to achieve greater convergence in the relationship between governments and the public to ensure sustainable development.