A call to action

Those familiar with the region know it is filled with stories of progress, modernity and innovation. Unfortunately, most of the rest of the world never hears or reads these stories. As media outlets scramble for sensational (and often divisive) content to fill an unending news cycle, they are likely to focus in on the Middle East.

The onus, then, is on those of us in public relations – those who see the success stories on a daily basis and work on the ground with clients – to set the record straight. We must help rewrite the Western media’s tired, lawless-frontier tale of the largely Muslim Middle East so that it at last reflects the realities of life in the region.

The time to communicate the story of the real Middle East to the rest of the world is now, as our profession comes of age in the region. If we as an industry band together to increase recognition of quality communications programmes as tools that really do support clients in effecting change, we can begin to turn the tide of public opinion about the Middle East.

Getting to that point won’t be easy. We are, by nature and necessity, a competitive bunch. But it will be worthwhile. We must each put aside our desire to win and instead think more broadly of the good that can come from a large-scale change in perception. Then we must invest in shared best practices to make sure we set high benchmarks for performance. And we must make certain that transparency and ethical business practices characterise our work at every turn. Without trust, perceptions will never change.

As communications professionals, it is our job to share the realities of the Middle East with the rest of the world. If we do not, we risk losing out on opportunities in a region that is not only making huge strides but is setting trends and breaking barriers in its own right.