CP stresses media’s role in fight against terrorism
abu dhabi — Media plays a pivotal role in fighting the ideologies of hatred and extremism, said His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, on Monday.
Sheikh Mohamed received the information ministers of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt, the countries fighting extremism and terrorism.
Dr Sultan bin Ahmad Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of State and Chairman of National Media Council (NMC); Dr Awad Salih Al Awad, Minister of Information of Saudi Arabia; Ali bin Mohammed Al Ra- mahi, Minister of Information of Bahrain; and Makram Mohammed Ahmed, President of the Egyptian Higher Council for Media Regulation, held a meeting in Abu Dhabi for discussing the means for coordinating efforts and developing mechanisms of cooperation for battling the extremism financing and harbouring of extremist organisations.
Sheikh Mohamed exchanged with the visiting ministers greetings on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan.
He stressed that the only way to encounter the menace of extremism is to uproot the wayward ideologies and to expose the terrorist organisations that work under the guise of Islam to recruit the young people. “Fighting extremist organisations through media is of no less importance than fighting it through the security and military means and media might be more instrumental in this fight because it spreads the values of tolerance, moderation and positivity.
“We need to work within one pre-emptive strategy based on explaining the concepts of the moderate and open teachings of Islam that call for tolerance, peace and forgiveness and spreading the spirit of hope and giving,” he said.
This is in addition to exposing the terrorist organisations that tarnish the sublime and noble values of Islam, he said.
He also called upon the ministers to develop media strategies and plans, particularly for the social media, to address the public, with focus on the young people, whom the terrorist organisations are targeting.