The Muslim World League is in the largest international media stand in solidarity against bias and misinformation towards the Palestinian issue
The Muslim World League brought together the Union of Islamic News Agencies, which includes 57 countries, and the most important international news agencies from Asia, Europe and the Americas, in the international forum: “The Media and its Role in Fueling Hatred and Violence: The Dangers of Misinformation and Bias”; The most prominent global solidarity event taking place in the international arena against bias and media misinformation, especially towards the Palestinian issue.
The forum was launched on Sunday in Jeddah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, under the patronage and presence of the Secretary-General of the Muslim World League, the Chairman of the Association of Muslim Scholars, His Eminence Sheikh Dr. Muhammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, and the General Supervisor of Official Media in the State of Palestine, Minister Ahmed Assaf, and with the participation of a number of ministers and leaders. Islamic and international media outlets, and an elite group of ambassadors, religious, intellectual and legal figures, and leaders of international organizations.
Holding the forum comes within the close partnership between the Assistant Secretariat for Institutional Communication in the Muslim World League and the Federation of News Agencies of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Countries, which represents an independent specialized body, within the framework of their common goals.
At the beginning of the opening session of the forum, the Secretary-General of the Muslim World League and Chairman of the Association of Muslim Scholars, His Eminence Sheikh Dr. Muhammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, welcomed the attendees, noting that the forum is being held within the framework of two international organizations, namely the Muslim World League, represented by the Institutional Communication Agency, and the Federation of News Agencies. Organization of Islamic Cooperation countries.
Al-Issa stressed that the conference’s topic, “The Media and its Role in Fueling Hatred and Violence: The Dangers of Misinformation and Bias,” touches the concern of living consciences, and its global problem represents the prevailing challenge in many international issues, indicating that the topic is a broad title, summarizing multiple axes, and these axes, with their long debates, are It is of great interest to the Muslim World League and international organizations in general. Governmental and non-governmental.
He added: “With this international interest that has recognized the problem in its dimensions, and even seen its repercussions with its own eyes, this is in a dangerous global transformation that has confirmed to the world that material scientific progress does not correlate with ethical moral development, except when the majesty of science is covered with the solemnity of values, and the human being is formed with knowledge and values. This is the absent dimension and the missing link in the formulation of the human mind.”
Sheikh Al-Issa pointed out that despite the international interest in confronting the phenomenon of hatred, this disease, which has turned into an epidemic state, due to the gap between abstract legislation and pending implementation, has become intractable except from “a conscious, sincere and effective collective will.”
Sheikh Al-Issa warned that this matter produced an unfortunate situation of chaos and intellectual dementia, which led to a state of setback that returned the civilized world, the world after the crushing world wars, and the world after the international order that united the nations of the world under one umbrella with one charter, to a scene. Backward eras.
He added: Man knows that his origin is one, and the person who believes in his Lord, regardless of his place, time, religion, or sect, knows that his descendants are from Adam and his wife, and in Islam, God Almighty says: “O children of Adam,” for all are children, and children are brothers, even if they differ in religion, thought, race, color, and land. But estrangement began, then hatred, then hostility, then confrontation, conflict, and clash, when the difference that represented satisfaction and a religious or intellectual desire related to the conviction of the person, group, or nation, turned into confrontation and clash in a reality that can only be described as mental dementia, indicating that for this The reason Islam advanced and said: “There is no compulsion in religion,” so no one is forced to leave a religion in which he was formed, and then forced to follow another religion, neither by force nor by harassment.
His Eminence Sheikh Al-Issa stressed that the media has a significant role to contribute effectively in taking our world towards its ship of salvation and keeping it away from sinking in its dangers, where there is a worrying escalation of hate speech and its incitement to dangerous matters, most of which are discrimination and exclusion, and ending in conflict, clashes and violence, and history is a witness. .
He added: “Hence, I say, there is nothing more dangerous than allowing the expression of hatred without deterrence. This slide creates a dangerous culture in which hate debates prevail in their national and international dimensions. Therefore, everyone must be aware that confronting hate speech is considered at the forefront of the reasons for preserving the peace and security of societies.” And strengthening friendship between nations and peoples, which is an important and urgent friendship. People cannot coexist in peace except in this context. This is because, if we survey history, we find that the hatred from which animosity arose due to its backwardness and ignorance sparked raging wars. As soon as hatred lowers its ugly face, whether in a society or in a nation. Or a people, except that it brings evil to them and to others.”
He continued: “Despite all of this, a number of minds in the era of “material enlightenment” and “civilizational progress with its common concepts” are still in a backwardness of values, as the tendency of hatred has taken hold over many minds and policies, pointing out that in a number of its cases it seemed This hatred is in its ugliest and worst form, and at its forefront is double standards with models that have gone beyond interpretation and maneuvering, to defiance and arrogance.
He stressed that if our world in the matter of public health works hard on preventive measures and detects early warnings threatening the health of bodies, then preventive measures and detecting warnings for the peace of nations and the harmony of peoples and societies are no less important, and for this reason effective observatories are necessary to detect the harbingers of hatred and its threats, from In order to confront and combat it in its infancy.
Sheikh Al-Issa pointed out that what we are witnessing today in Gaza, the criminal attack on innocent children, women and others, is a disgrace to all of humanity.
He added that this humanitarian catastrophe is engraved in the heart of every living conscience, and the logic of justice and human right from the totality of effective and honest international diversity has called for its support. This is in addition to the fact that for us, in terms of its origin, it is an Arab and Islamic issue, then the truth follows through and it has become a just international issue, governed by it. Pending international resolutions were violated, causing their blood to flow and their repercussions to be painful.
In this regard, Sheikh Al-Issa, on behalf of the scholars and thinkers of the Islamic nation, within the framework of the Muslim World League, expressed “high appreciation and appreciation for the great efforts to support the Palestinian cause, as well as standing firmly against the crimes in Gaza, especially the efforts led by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in historic summits.” “May God reward the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and His Highness the Crown Prince, Prime Minister, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, may God protect them.”
After that, Minister Ahmed Al-Assaf, Supervisor of Official Media in the State of Palestine, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Palestinian News and Information Agency, thanked His Eminence Sheikh Dr. Muhammad bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa,
The Secretary-General of the Muslim World League, the Chairman of the Association of Muslim Scholars, and the Director-General of the Federation of News Agencies of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Countries for the important initiative of establishing and organizing this forum.
Al-Assaf pointed out that the forum is being held “at this difficult time for our people in Palestine, specifically in Gaza, which is being subjected to this massacre and massacres,” adding that if we take the Palestinian issue as an example of the media’s role in combating misinformation and bias, “we will find that it is the truest and clearest model.” Because it summarizes the battle between truth and falsehood, between truth and lies, deception and slander.”
Al-Assaf pointed out that the Palestinian issue has been exposed in the media for 75 years, and since the beginning of this aggression against the people of Palestine and their land, to an attempt to cancel the Palestinian narrative, and it has suffered from this bias and misinformation by the major media outlets in the world that did not want to see the truth, and also sought to obscure the truth and erase it. And canceling it, explaining that when looking at the Palestinian issue, they turn a blind eye to what is happening on Palestinian land in terms of crimes, persecution, killing, and destruction.
He pointed out that the reality of the battle with the Zionist occupation began when they tried to build their state on the basis that Palestine is a land without a people for a people without a land, and thus they sought to abolish the Palestinian narrative, not just align with another narrative.
Al-Assaf described the truth about the reality of the Zionist occupation as an attempt to erase history, which means seeking to erase the present and the future. He explained that this is their real goal, as they built their narrative on the basis that “the adults will die and the children will forget, and indeed the adults died, but the children became more attached and attached to this land and this issue.” .
Al-Assaf pointed out that “the ultimate goal of the media is to spread a culture of tolerance, justice, and love among people, defuse crises, and avoid provoking strife, hatred, and fragmenting societies,” adding that “when some biased media ignores these facts, what do you expect to react from the Palestinian people or other nations?” Arab and Islamic Affairs: Is it possible to accept these lies, the absence of the truth, and the denial of the tragic reality and the massacres that Gaza and Jerusalem are exposed to daily, and believe these lies? Certainly not, and certainly this bias will generate more positions hostile to all these policies.
For his part, the Minister of Information of the Federal Republic of Somalia, Daoud Aweys, confirmed that the current events in the Palestinian territories showed the bias of many international media outlets and their disregard for objectivity and truth, stressing the need for Islamic countries to strengthen their media institutions and build their capabilities in accordance with international standards to bridge this gap.
He pointed out that the media plays an important role in Somalia’s fight against terrorist movements and extremism and in promoting religious moderation.
In turn, the Acting Director General of the Federation of Organization of Islamic Cooperation News Agencies, His Excellency Mr. Muhammad bin Abd Rabbuh Al-Yami, stressed that the media plays a pivotal role, whether positively or negatively, in building civilizational concepts, formulating people’s general perceptions of each other, and shaping public opinion towards international events and issues.
He added that if this important role is left without guidance and guidance, it may be exploited by extremists and hate preachers to insult sanctities, stir up strife, and create crises. Hence lies the importance of our meeting in this forum to discuss the best ways to activate the role of the media in combating hate speech and violence, and to come up with general and guiding principles. In this regard.
Al-Yami pointed out that the forum coincides with tragic circumstances and a widespread humanitarian catastrophe experienced by the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, due to the recent Israeli escalation, which requires us to consider the responsibility placed on us in the international media to advance the role of our institutions in supporting efforts to achieve peace, stability and protection. Civilians on both sides, and ensuring the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, most notably the establishment of their independent state.
Al-Yami extended his sincere thanks and gratitude to the Muslim World League, under the leadership of His Excellency its Secretary-General, Sheikh Dr. Muhammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, for its keenness to strengthen its relations with international media institutions, recognizing the centrality of the media in any honest and serious movement. To bring peoples together and achieve the principles of coexistence and brotherhood between different cultures and religions, and special mention and thanks go to the care, continuous follow-up and great efforts made by His Excellency Dr. Al-Issa, without which, after God’s grace, this forum would not have been possible.
The opening session witnessed direct interventions by a number of journalists from the Palestinian territories, in which they spoke about the reality of journalism in light of the Israeli aggression, and the challenges that journalists face in order to carry out their professional duty.
The session also included a screening of a short film about the role of the media in shaping public opinion and shaping societies’ awareness, whether positively or negatively.
After that, the forum’s discussion sessions continued, as the first session discussed “the role of religious institutions and leaders in combating hate speech and violence on media platforms,” while the second session discussed “bias and misinformation in the international media: the Palestinian issue as an example.”
The third session dealt with “Ethical Responsibility in the International Media,” while the fourth session addressed the topic of “Religious Media and International Alliances to Counter Hate Speech and Extremism.”
On the sidelines of the forum, a memorandum of cooperation was signed between the Assistant Secretariat for Institutional Communication of the Muslim World League and the Federation of News Agencies of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Countries, which was signed by its Director General, Muhammad bin Abd Rabbuh Al-Yami, and by Mr. Abdul Wahab Al-Shehri, Assistant Secretary-General for Institutional Communication, on the part of the Federation.
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