The first training workshop for the Journalism for Dialogue Program was concluded in its second batch, which was organized by the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Center for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue – KESID in the Jordanian capital, which included 34 male and female journalists from 15 Arab countries, with the aim of enhancing the power of dialogue and media communication in the Arab region.
The Dialogue Journalism Program focuses on training a diverse group of Arab journalists, who represent different religious and cultural backgrounds, with the aim of enhancing their capabilities in the field of dialogue journalism.
The program aims to develop the capabilities of participants in preparing specialized reports on issues of dialogue between followers of religions and cultures, religious relations and identity. The program also aims to promote pluralism and diversity, promote values of peace and tolerance, and combat hate speech in the media.
The workshop was also attended by a large number of representatives of media institutions and civil society in the Arab world, where a series of lectures and training sessions were presented that focused on the role of the media in promoting dialogue and rejecting hate speech. Important topics were discussed, including the role of the media in shaping public opinion, promoting coexistence and tolerance, and using the media to present a positive vision and confront the current challenges facing Arab societies.
The Secretary-General of the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Center for Dialogue among Followers of Religions and Cultures (Kaysid), Dr. Zuhair Al-Harthi, welcomed the participants and graduates of the first batch during the official launch of the Journalism Program for Dialogue, stressing that the strategic partnership with the media falls within the vision and goals of Kaysid, who believes that the media in all its forms has come to represent It is a tremendous force for change and an essential element in any future strategy, whether it is to build peace and promote dialogue or to achieve stability and sustainable development.
The Director of KICID Programs in the Arab Region, Wassim Haddad, stressed the importance of dialogue journalism as a dynamic and participatory approach aimed at enhancing constructive cooperation between journalists and the active forces in society. Colleague Dalal Hammoud bin Nader, writer and editor-in-chief of Saudi Arabia Today, pointed out the importance of communication as an essential element in effective dialogue and the promotion of peace between people, referring to her positive experience in the workshop and its impact on developing journalistic skills and the ability to cooperate to renounce hate speech.
The first training workshop is part of the Journalism Fellowship Program for Dialogue, which aims to promote a culture of dialogue and understanding in Arab societies, achieve integration between media and influential forces to combat hate speech, and build more tolerant and cooperative societies.
At the end of the workshop, the colleagues expressed their valuable experiences during participation in the program, stressing the importance of promoting a culture of dialogue and understanding in their societies, and the role of journalism in promoting positive communication and achieving the desired change.
Dalal Hammoud bin Nader concluded her statement by emphasizing the importance of adopting media behavior commensurate with the culture of dialogue that the program calls for. She added that organizations such as the Center for International Dialogue (KACID) play a vital role in consolidating the concepts of dialogue and providing opportunities for acquaintance and networking between journalists and media professionals from various Arab countries.
The statements of the participants confirm the importance of promoting a culture of dialogue and understanding in our societies and achieving integration between the media and influential forces to renounce hate speech and build more tolerant and cooperative societies with the aim of spreading the culture of dialogue and strengthening the role of journalism in Arab societies.
Journalism Fellowship for Dialogue
The Journalism Fellowship Program for Dialogue aims to address the cases of some unprofessional media coverage of religious and ethnic issues and conflicts in the region over the past years, which have led to the growth of hate speech and fueling aggressive feelings among members of these communities, and aims to build bridges of peace and break down barriers of division and discrimination. The number of participants in the second batch reached 34 journalists from 15 Arab countries, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, Sudan, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen and Algeria.
government organization
It is noteworthy that the Center for Global Dialogue (Kacyd) is an intergovernmental organization established by the member states, which are the Republic of Austria, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom of Spain and the Vatican as founding observers. The center is a facilitator and organizer of meetings, bringing together religious leaders, decision-makers and experts around the dialogue table in an effort to find common solutions to common problems. The center’s vision is to contribute to creating a world where respect, understanding, cooperation, justice, peace and reconciliation prevail among people, and to end the misuse of religion to justify oppression, violence and conflict.
