Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
The Collective Voice of The Muslim World
Date: 21/12/2016
The eleventh session of the Islamic Conference of Information Ministers in the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation started its works under the theme (New media to counter terrorismand Islamophobia), today, 21 December 2016, at the Conference Palace in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The opening session began with a welcoming speech by the representative of Iran, Chair of the previous session, the Deputy Minister of Culture and Guidance, Dr. Mohammad Hussein Hashemi.
The Chair of the current session, the Minister of Culture and Information of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Dr. Adel bin Zaid Al - Teraifi gave a speech in which he expressed hope to see the current session come up with a modern Islamic Media Charterdedicated to combating terrorism and Islamophobia, pointing out that the growing phenomenon of terrorism and the development of its methods and techniques have led to the exploitation of a number of traditional media and discourse by terrorists and their proponents andfinancers.
The Saudi minister said that the draft resolution on the role of media in combating terrorism submitted by the delegation of Saudi Arabia, has been welcomed andsupported by the OIC Member States, as the draft resolution called for condemning and criminalizing the media which promote, incite to, support and fund terrorism.
Minister Teraifi called for setting up specific mechanisms for the coordination of media policiesamong the various media outlets in OIC countries with regard to counter - terrorism issues and the development of media legislations governing the works of satellite channels and media institutions, demanding to close satellite channels and media organizations supporting terrorist groups.
For his part, the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, HE Dr. Yousef A. Al - Othaimeen explained that the conference held under the theme ‘New media to counter terrorismand Islamophobia’ addresses the role of traditional and modern media and their impact on these phenomena which target the pillars of international peace and security.
The Secretary - General noted that terrorist groups utilize all the available media to expand the extremist ideology and misleading messages. They also seek to attract young men and women and lure them to join their organizations or terrorist elements or to join elements that provide logistical support. On the other hand, the Secretary - General, stated that the role of the media in this regard is to fight this terrorist ideology through the use of the same media and the same social media by specialist journalists in order to direct messages that would expose the terrorist ideology, and show the real image of Islam which calls for tolerance, moderation and peaceful coexistence between the peoples of the world.
Al-Othaimeen said that the conference is deliberating on the most prominent challenge facing the media sector in the organization and in its Member States, namely the development of the sector to enable it to catch up with the rapid changes in social media in an aim to reach the different segments of the society.
