The two-day International Conference on Media and Conflict (ICMC) 2020, organized by Pakistan Peace Collective (PPC) – a research and communication project of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MoIB) – concluded here in Islamabad. The conference was inaugurated by President Dr. Arif Alvi on Tuesday.
Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Information, Senator Faisal Javed was the chief guest of the closing ceremony held at Jinnah Convention Center Islamabad. Secretary, Ministry of Information, Mr. Akbar Hussain Durrani, Chairman Council of Islamic Ideology Council (CII), Dr. Qibla Ayaz and a number of dignitaries, officials, scholars, journalists, students and other participants also attended the ceremony.
The conference brought together a number of renowned national and international scholars, academics, journalists and practitioners to deliberate on the role of digital media in peace building. It also showcased latest research on the dynamics and impacts of online disinformation, violent extremism and hate speech. A special workshop organized in collaboration with UNESCO and the Media Matters for Democracy (MMFD) sensitized and educated students, youth and young professionals on identifying and tackling disinformation in the online space.
On the first day, the conference also featured the ‘PurAzm Pakistan Awards’ ceremony to recognize courageous Pakistanis, who showcased exemplary resilience and bravery in face of violent extremism and served as inspiration for fellow Pakistanis. A book featuring their inspirational stories was also launched during the ceremony.
In his keynote speech, Senator Faisal Javed said: “The Pakistani nation overcame the menace of terrorism and violent extremism due to valiance of its armed forces and the resilience of the people. For ensuring lasting peace, it is important that the present of digital media is appropriately mapped and its future is predicted through effective research. As a progressive nation, we should continue playing our role for nation-building, especially by projecting the positive image of the country.”
Secretary Information and Broadcasting, Mr. Akbar Hussain Durrani appreciated the efforts of Pakistan Peace Collective (PPC) in organizing the conference. He said: “This Conference is an extension of the Government of Pakistan’s vision for promoting sustainable peace, interfaith harmony and social cohesion in the society. We are glad that we are amongst the first nations to realize and act against disinformation, violent extremism and hate speech in the online space.”
Earlier, CEO Pakistan Peace Collective (PPC), Mr. Shabbir Anwar thanked the worthy guests, participants and partnering institutions for their support. He also highlighted a number of initiatives his organization is undertaking to foster peace and harmony in the country.
“ICMC 2020,” he added, “furthers Pakistan Peace Collective’s sustained efforts for peace building. The outcomes of this conference,” he concluded, “would translate into effective policy interventions and information and communication campaigns for building lasting peace in the country.”
Renowned scholars and academics from the US, UK, Turkey and Australia were part of the conference who shared their research as well as relevant case studies from different countries of the world. Pakistan’s leading universities National University of Science and Technology (NUST), Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU), National University of Modern Languages (NUML) and Iqra University had partnered up with PPC for ICMC 2020, while Samaa News, Hum News and Independent Urdu were media partners of the event.
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