The UAE's news agenda of the future is being shaped at a conference bringing together some of the media's brightest young talents.
The second edition of the Young Arab Media Leaders programme, which got underway on Sunday, boasts 100 media professionals and students aged between 19 and 30, hailing from 15 Arab countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain and Egypt.
The event, organised across the UAE over the next fortnight, is being held under the patronage of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Presidential Affairs and chair of the Arab Youth Centre (AYC).
The programme aims to sharpen the skills of young media minds and bolster their knowledge of the industry.
The first day of the Young Arab Media Leaders programme included a lecture entitled "The World Press" as well as workshops tackling key subjects such as the basics of news and the golden rules of journalism. It also included a talk from Saeed Mohammed Al-Attar, director-general of the Office of Public Diplomacy at the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and the Future.
In a speech entitled 'The Future of Media, Mina Al Oraibi, editor-in-chief of The National, said the programme gave young media professionals a chance to develop the necessary skills to play a role in the future of the industry.
"Arab youth looking for careers in the media industry hold a great responsibility to convey the right messages to the right audience at the right time," she said.
"We are living in a time of rapid changes and the Young Arab Media Leaders programme gives young media professionals an opportunity to develop skills that enable them to take on such a responsibility and lead the movement of sharing news that reflect an honest reality of our society."
Speaking at the event, Shamma bint Suhail Faris Al Mazrui, Minister of State for Youth Affairs and AYC Vice Chair, said the scheme would help to create a "new generation" of journalists.
"We are delighted to be welcoming this group of distinguished young media leaders from all around the Arab world," she said.
"We take pride in these ambitious young professionals, in their outstanding work, and in their clear contributions to the media sector and the development process in general.
"Their participation in the second edition of the Young Arab Media Leaders programme, which was designed specifically to enhance their expertise and refine their skills and creative abilities, helps us create a new generation of young journalists, qualified to keep up with and benefit from rapid developments in the media sector."
The programme is being supported by a number of media partners, including The National Media Council, Media Zone Authority (twofour54), Dubai Media City, Thomson Reuters, CNN, Sky News Arabia and The National.
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