ABU DHABI — The annual Global Media Congress (GMC) in Abu Dhabi will help strategize the best ways to use the power of the internet and tackle disinformation, said a top Costa Rican diplomat.
“As social media and the internet form the public opinion these days, it is fundamental for policy makers and media outlets to come together and share best practices on how to make use of the power of internet. I think Global Media Congress is the right platform for this,” said Francisco Chacon Hernandez, Ambassador of Costa Rica to the UAE.
“At the same time, handling disinformation is also the need of the hour. I am sure the Global Media Congress will help devise a strategy to use the available tools to tackle disinformation. We need an effective and modern strategy to ensure that the messages impacting our citizens and the world are delivered in a positive, ethical and meaningful way.”
He made these comments as preparations are underway for the second edition of the Congress that will be held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court.
Organized by ADNEC Group in partnership with Emirates News Agency (WAM), the prominent international conference-cum-exhibition in the media sector will take place from 14th to 16th November 2023, at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre – ADNEC, Abu Dhabi.
The Costa Rican Ambassador is hopeful that the GMC would further help strengthen his country’s cooperation with the UAE in the media sector.
“The Global Media Congress will be a catalyst for our two countries to keep working together and explain to our people the immense value of our deep friendship and its potential for the future,” he said. “Both parties can exchange and disseminate timely information that can make Costa Ricans and Emiratis aware of the great potential of our strategic partnership.”
In January this year, a delegation from WAM headed by Mohammed Jalal Al Rayssi, Director-General of WAM, visited a number of media entities in Costa Rica to promote cooperation in news exchange.
The delegation – in the presence of Rawdha Mohamed Alotaiba, UAE Ambassador to Costa Rica – visited the headquarters of Sistema Nacional de Radio y Television, Sinart; La Republica Newspaper; and Group Repretel, where they signed three Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) to boost media cooperation across various sectors.
The visit also included the headquarters of several other media institutions in Costa Rica, including Semanario Universidad (University of Costa Rica); La Nación Newspaper; Multimedios Costa Rica; and Columbia Group. Two MoUs were also signed between WAM and Televisora de Costa Rica known as “Teletica” and Columbia Group, during the visit to their headquarters.