Palestinian Forum Attracts 400 Participants

From Nor Faridah Abd Rashid ISTANBUL, April 25 (Bernama) -- Holding forums for the media is common, but for the Palestine International Forum for Media and Communication, it was unique in the sense that it has succeeded in bringing some 400 participants from the Muslim world and other countries to converge in one place and thrash out issues on the reporting of the Palestinian cause. The participants were not only exposed to talks, workshops and seminars but also training sessions to make them better acquainted with the new media and how to use it more effectively to guarantee maximum circulation and influence in countering reports by the western media, which speakers said have not always told the truth about the struggle of the Palestinian people. The two-day forum which ended here Thursday, had provided opportunities for beneficial dialogue, objectives evaluation and constructive criticism regarding the various media experiences which helped to improve and guide media performance with regard to Palestine. According to the forum's Preparatory Committee Chairman, Fayed Abu Shammala, it took a long time to prepare the event in terms of building data and trying to get all the participants, as well as media foundations and figures, to speak on the Palestinian issue, but it was worth it. He said that in the last couple of years due to some other issues in the region, the message on the Palestinian struggle was not "getting across", pointing out that the international media was complacent with what was going on and had not done enough to get the message across to the international community. "We need to build this network to start as soon as we can. The Palestinian message is under international embargo and people do not know what is going on, that people are dying and starving in Palestine. Palestine is under siege for many years," he told Malaysian journalists here. He said that the forum provided a platform for the participants to communicate and to build up connections among the media outlets or exchange ideas in order to improve their professions and organisations. "But what is most important is for the participants to communicate even after the forum. They should follow up and do their utmost to build up personal or bilateral relations," he said. On why Istanbul was chosen for the forum, he said that it was because Istanbul was an easy place to access for most of the participants. "It is a good place for the beginning of this forum because we want people to participate from the west and from the east. We want people from the Arab world, from Europe and from America. We do not want people to come only from one place," he said. "We believe that Palestine is an issue for unity, especially in the Arab and Muslim world. We hope by bringing in people from outside, that would help us to access the international community, to tell them of the injustice in Palestine," he said. Abu Shammala also expressed hope that the forum, organised by the Palestine Media Club; SETA, a foundation for political, economic and social research; and Middle East Monitor (MEMO), which provides a focused and comprehensive coverage of Palestine and its regional neighbours, could be held annually. Participants and speakers came from countries like Egypt, Palestine, the United States, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Jordan, France and Malaysia, while topics presented included Palestine in the Arab Media: The impact of Regional Changes; The Palestinian Cause in the Western Media; Working Towards a New Palestinian Strategy and Investigative Journalism. -- BERNAMA