Dubai: Today’s Emirati Media Retreat was attended by Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Media Council.
The event, which was organized by the Dubai Press Club (DPC), brought together more than 100 academics and media professionals to talk on the present and future of the media landscape in the United Arab Emirates.
Speaking about the retreat, Sheikh Ahmed stated that the UAE media is essential in providing strategic insights and creative ideas that turn the leadership’s vision into significant achievements because it enhances the nation’s international standing, promotes economic expansion, raises public awareness, and upholds its core values.
“Identifying important areas of attention for the next phase requires brainstorming meetings and ongoing assessments of the health of our local media. In order to meet the UAE’s future goals and maintain its position in the world, effective and influential media must be able to quickly adjust,” Sheikh Ahmed said. “The Emirati Media Retreat is a vital initiative that plays a significant role in shaping the future of the sector, drawing inspiration from the country’s strategic goals.”
In order to effectively communicate the UAE’s message to the world—one of security, coexistence, and cooperation—and to guarantee stability and prosperity for all of humanity, Sheikh Ahmed urged everyone involved in the UAE media industry to unite as a single team.
Sheikh Ahmed emphasized at the retreat the need for having ideas that can be implemented with quantifiable results and within specified timeframes. Although Sheikh Ahmed acknowledged the difficulties that lie ahead, he expressed faith in the UAE’s citizens and media industry, emphasizing their ability to adjust and support the country’s continuous advancement in a number of areas.
The goal of the retreat, which was hosted at the Dubai Press Club and attended by Mona Ghanem Al Marri, the managing director and vice chairperson of the Dubai Media Council, was to discuss issues that the media industry faces both domestically and globally. It centered on coming up with creative ideas, staying up to date with industry advancements, and improving the effectiveness, competitiveness, and worldwide reach of national media content.
According to Al Marri, cooperation and a coordinated strategy are crucial for the growth of any important industry, especially the national media industry. She emphasized how crucial it is to improve its skills in accordance with the wise leadership’s orders, which give the sector and all of its components a lot of weight.
The Emirati Media Retreat is in line with President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s proclamation of 2025 as the Year of Community, Al Marri emphasized. The media’s vital role in promoting collaboration, a sense of community, and cultural preservation was the main topic of the retreat. The program advances the DPC’s strategic goals of strengthening Emirati media and creating locally relevant material that upholds national ideals. It illustrates the club’s dedication to fostering communication with stakeholders and promoting media growth in the United Arab Emirates.
In keeping with the nation’s vision and ideals, she said, the ‘Emirati Media Retreat’ demonstrates the DPC’s dedication to strengthening the UAE media’s role in creating local content and bringing attention to national concerns. The initiative’s goal was to have a conversation with stakeholders in order to use their knowledge for media growth.
Al Marri also expressed gratitude for the involvement of Emirati leaders and national media organizations, emphasizing the value of cooperation in obtaining information, resolving issues, and coming up with creative ideas for the advancement of UAE media.
Al Marri said that cooperation is essential to tackling issues and investigating prospects for national media in an era when the global media environment is changing quickly. She emphasized that media organizations, supporting organizations, and digital influencers all have a shared obligation to improve the media environment. In order to create a competent, long-lasting media ecosystem, she said, the Emirati Media Retreat seeks to develop a new vision for the UAE’s media industry, emphasizing investments in local talent, especially young people.
Other important topics covered during the retreat were the media’s contribution to the UAE’s international standing, the promotion of national identity and values, the state of the sector now, and future objectives. Fighting false information and fake news, the future of UAE sports media, the role of media organizations in promoting Emirati drama production, the influence of local talent on the direction of UAE media, and the role of media in advancing the nation’s economic goals were other topics of discussion.
The need for creative concepts and cutting-edge content that adds value and fits with the UAE’s future goals was emphasized by the participants, who also underlined the significance of excellent content as a major growth driver.
