President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has addressed the participants of the Media Forum titled “Building Trust Through Media in a Polarized World” being held in Baku, APA reports.
The address was read out by Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration.
“Dear Forum participants,
I sincerely welcome you and congratulate you on the opening of the CICA Media Forum in the city of Baku. Welcome to Azerbaijan!
The Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), which covers 90% of the Asian continent and brings together 28 member states, is an important and unique dialogue platform that contributes to peace, security and stability in the region and serves to strengthen mutual trust and cooperation among its member countries with a view to promoting sustainable development.
Over the past two years, Azerbaijan, as Chair of the organization, has demonstrated determination and consistency in advancing confidence-building measures and has spared no effort to strengthen CICA’s institutional capacity, expand practical joint activities, and further enhance the organization’s role in the system of international relations.
During Azerbaijan’s Chairmanship of CICA, high-level meetings held in Baku across various areas, as well as events organized among think tanks, experts, business circles and young people, have contributed to intensifying interaction within the organization and further strengthening Azerbaijan’s position as a venue for dialogue and multilateral cooperation.
The organization, at Azerbaijan’s initiative, of the first Media Forum within the framework of CICA in Baku, and its holding on the eve of the CICA Summit, is of particular importance in terms of drawing attention to the significant role the organization plays internationally and to the activities we have jointly carried out with member states within the framework of our Chairmanship.
Today’s Forum, dedicated to the theme “Building Trust through Media in a Polarized World,” provides a valuable opportunity to demonstrate that the field of information and communications is an important component of confidence building. Media is now regarded not merely as a means of exchanging information, but also as an important instrument of public diplomacy, mutual understanding and regional cooperation.
Within the framework of CICA, Azerbaijan attaches particular importance to developing the media and communications sector, expanding bilateral and multilateral cooperation with member states in the field of media, and improving mechanisms for information exchange. In recent years, partnership ties established among various media organizations, as well as the participation of media representatives from CICA member states in international media events hosted by Azerbaijan, have created conditions for practical cooperation in this area.
The world is currently going through a complex period characterized by rapidly changing geopolitical realities, growing security challenges and profound transformations in the media sphere. In the digital age, where differing interests and viewpoints collide, any information disseminated has the potential to affect relations both between societies and between states.
The media, which covers ongoing developments and conveys them to society, is a force capable of influencing the formation of public opinion, mutual trust and understanding, as well as opportunities for dialogue and cooperation. The widespread dissemination of disinformation and the creation of false information and materials through the misuse of artificial intelligence technologies have a direct impact on public trust.
At a time when the role of social media and digital platforms in the information space is rapidly growing, the accountability of the media and the responsibility it bears are increasing even further. All of this raises the requirements for the professionalism and objectivity of media institutions and makes it necessary to foster a shared sense of responsibility in the information sphere.
Reliable information should become a benchmark of quality not only for professional journalism, but for the information environment as a whole. In this regard, strengthening cooperation among government institutions, media organizations, digital platforms, journalists, researchers and civil society is of great importance. Improving media literacy and ensuring the responsible application of new technologies are also among the key conditions for establishing sustainable foundations of trust.
In this context, the holding of the CICA Media Forum is a significant event in terms of enriching cooperation in the media sphere with new substance and new areas of engagement. I am confident that the present Forum, attended by prominent media representatives from friendly countries, will contribute to the development of cooperation in the media field across the CICA region, the implementation of joint projects, and the exchange of experience in ensuring honest, effective and agile communication.
I wish the Forum every success and fruitful discussions.”
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President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has addressed the participants of the Media Forum titled “Building Trust Through Media in a Polarized World” being held in Baku, APA reports.
The address was read out by Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration.
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