The high-level international forum on “The Integration of Quality Journalism and Media Education” concluded in the city of Dakhla, in the Moroccan Sahara, on June 21, 2025. The two-day event, held on June 20–21, was organized by the Provisional Committee for the Management of the Journalism and Publishing Sector, with the participation of leading journalists, academics, and experts from around the world.
The forum featured a distinguished contribution from Dr. Sharif Badran, Dean of the College of Communication and Media Technologies at Gulf University in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Dr. Badran presented a thought-provoking paper titled “The Role of Media Education in Enhancing Awareness and Combating Fake News,” in which he called for comprehensive strategies to promote media literacy across the Arab world and to systematically integrate its concepts into school curricula from an early stage.
In his address, Dr. Badran highlighted the growing challenges posed by fake news to societies and its direct impact on undermining public trust in the media. He stressed the importance of building institutional partnerships between the education and media sectors to produce interactive awareness content that strengthens critical thinking skills and promotes information verification, especially in light of the increasing reliance on social media as a primary news source.
The study presented by Dr. Badran revealed notable findings, most prominently that 78% of individuals in the five countries surveyed rely on social media platforms for news, while 72% have never received formal training in verifying information. These results underscore the urgent need to activate media literacy programs and provide practical training in this field.
The forum concluded with several key recommendations, including the launch of a permanent international platform for dialogue between journalists and media professionals, the establishment of specialized academic programs in media education within universities, and the development of regulatory frameworks for social media
content. Emphasis was also placed on the importance of continuous professional training for journalists and their commitment to the highest ethical and professional standards.
At the close of the forum, participants expressed their deep appreciation to the Kingdom of Morocco for its generous hosting and extended a letter of gratitude to His Majesty King Mohammed VI in recognition of his efforts in supporting intercultural dialogue and promoting a culture of peace and understanding. They affirmed the importance of continuing such initiatives to strengthen the role of media as a cornerstone of development and societal awareness.
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