Arab Media Forum to discuss ‘Islamophobia: Is media doing enough to reverse perceptions?’

Dubai Press Club, organisers of the Arab Media Forum, today announced details of a key session that will be presented during the 12th Arab Media Forum, the region’s largest media gathering.

The forum will run on May 14 - 15 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel Dubai and it will be attended by representatives from prominent media outlets, thought leaders, academics, policy makers and students from both the Arab region and beyond.

Islamophobia is conventionally defined as prejudice against, hatred towards, or irrational fear of Muslims. This perception goes back to historic times when Islam gained a stereotypical connotation and was synonymous with violence and intolerance towards other religions. Over the years, this view has been given impetus by events, people and places.

Observers believe that the media, both print and broadcast, played a proactive role in the spread of Islamophobia through taking advantage of the West’s ignorance of the teachings of Islam and the legacy of Islamic civilizations. Some media outlets are even known to have deliberately thwarted awareness through fabricating the truth.

This session seeks to reflect on the phenomenon of Islamophobia, the factors that contributed to its creation, and the motives behind promoting the perception. Defining the incitement against Arabs and Muslims, and underlining why Islamophobia is the poison between nations, cultures and religions, panelists will aim to explore effective solutions that help undo long-held and misplaced notions.

The moderator for this session will be Abdullah Al Modifer, anchor at Rotana Khalijiya Channel in KSA. The speakers will include Abdulaziz Al Twaijiri, Director General, Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO); Nathan Lean, Editor-in-chief, Aslan Media and a researcher,  Georgetown University; Said El Lawindi, Writer and researcher, Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies; Nicolas Blancho, Secretary General of the European Muslim Association; Rasheed Al Khayoun, Researcher and lecturer on Islamic Philosophy, Religion and History

It should be noted that the twelfth session of the Media Forum held under the slogan "Arab Media in Transition". This year’s Forum will host some of the most prominent journalists, academics and decision-makers from the Arab region and the world. The event has been open to registration at www.arabmediaforum.ae for those wishing to attend.

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.