WORLD GETS SMALLER WITH SOCIAL MEDIA: PRIYANKA
sharjah — The world has become smaller with social media and it is important to teach children to deal with the negativity that the new media spews, Bollywood actor and global icon Priyanka Chopra Jonas said on Wednesday.
Speaking at the International Government Communication Forum (IGCF), Chopra said that she is happy to see Sharjah creating a culture of governments talking about communication and using entertainment to be able to do that, adding that it is “incredible” and “need of the hour”.
Priyanka Chopra Jonas, who has over 50 million followers on Instagram, admitted that it’s impossible to evade negative criticism in today’s age. “There is a lot of negativity and hate that come along with freedom of communication, because everyone has the right of saying what they want,” she told Khaleej Times.
“The most important thing for us is to prepare our children, those who are born into the world of social media, to learn to combat negativity,” she added.
Urging experts and legislative officials to expand their support of arts and cinema, she further said: “The world is a melting pot and it’s the best time to promote culture through cinema. Different does not necessarily mean scary.”
She hailed the efforts and leadership of the Sharjah Ruler for having transformed the emirate over the past five decades into a regional hub for cultural advancement. “The UAE and Sharjah are doing an incredible job through this forum. It’s a very important time to bridge cultures and to not highlight the differences but to focus on commonalities. My wedding sparked off so many discussions about accepting each other’s cultures”.
She added: “Since I often keep travelling between the East and the West, I see myself as a bridge. I see myself as a representation of immigrants from all over the world in the US. So, we are constantly culturally, cross-pollinating.”
It’s a very important time to bridge cultures and to not highlight the differences but to focus on commonalities. Priyanka Chopra Jonas
Actor and activist