Kuwait- Media important weapon to establish GCC national identity- Min.

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) By Mubarak Al-Enzi

KUWAIT Feb 15 (KUNA) -- Minister of Information Sheikh Salman Sabah Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah has stressed that media is an important weapon to establish national identity of GCC countries through acts seeking to address challenges in order to promote values of tolerance love peace and belonging.
This came on Monday during a speech by the minister while inaugurating the 46th Board of Directors of the GCC Joint Program Production Institution's meeting.
"Our region is going through a very critical and sensitive phase and facing successive events and developments on both political and security levels" Sheikh Salman also Minister of State for Youth Affairs said.
"We should immunize our countries and peoples against effects of these events and developments in line with the directives and visions of GCC leaders and recommendations of information ministers with current and future plans" he added.
These plans should target youth as they are mostly affected by cultural and media production which runs counter to "our values traditions and moderation of Islam" he noted.
Since its establishment the institution which is a title of GCC joint action in TV and Radio program is one of pioneering cultural and educational institutions on the Arab level seeking to build Gulf personality through "distinguished program production" the minister said.
"As a result of events around us and developments of media and communication we should develop concepts and goals of our media and cultural message to achieve the Gulf cohesion and discard extremism and terrorism for maintaining security and safety of our countries and peoples" he pointed out.
He stressed the importance of program production in promoting tourism among GCC countries that has a positive impact on economy and development in the Gulf states in general.
On the sidelines of the meeting Ali Al-Rais the Institution's Director General told KUNA that the meeting is held annually to approve some recommendations and topics of agendas.
Participants will discuss how to deal with social media which imposed itself as a reality on media and review what has been presented to male and female students at schools.
Meanwhile GCC assistant secretary for cultural and media affairs Khaled Al-Ghassani said in a similar statement the meeting discusses a number of issues on the Gulf region adding that the institution sought last year to develop and improve its performance under a direct supervision of Information Ministry of Kuwait.
Conferees were briefed on the report of the Institution's Director General concerning what has been fulfilled last year in this regard he said.
A number of topics proposed by member states on the institution's performance and how to select programs to be carried in the coming phase will be discussed during the two-day meeting he noted. (end) mdm.tb.hm