The international guests of honor this year will include some current Heads of State and Government. The Forum will also feature other distinguished opinion leaders, eminent political thinkers, decision – makers and members of parliament, renowned businessmen, academics, media figures and international organizations. These participants will contribute to a free, learned and stimulating debate on each of the many topics on the Forum's agenda, with a focus on the Arab Spring, the global financial and economic crisis, International Cooperation, Global Economy, Development, Human Rights and Digital Media.
The 13th Doha Forum will be held at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in the State of Qatar from 20-22 May, 2013. It will be attended by more than 600 participants representing over 80 countries and organizations.
NewsDoha Forum to discuss democracy, development and media
The 14th Doha Forum will examine issues related to
democracy, development and free trade in the Middle East
Tuesday, 13/05/2014
Gulf Daily News
Doha center for Media Freedom
Regional and international experts are currently in Qatar to participate in the Doha Forum and discuss issues related to democracy, development and free trade in the Middle East and the rest of the world.
The conference, which began on Monday at Doha’s Ritz Carlton hotel, is the fourteenth in an annual series that examines economic development in the Middle East, the impact of human rights in times of conflict and crisis, social entrepreneurship, new policies in the Middle East in light of the decline of democracy and the role of media in creating stability or political chaos.
The media session, entitled “What Fourth Power of the Digital Media?” will be moderated by Dr Mahmoud Galander, Associate Professor in the Mass Communication Department at Qatar University. The panel will feature media personalities including Dr Ebrahim Abdulrahman Shaikh from Gulf Daily News in Bahrain; Dr Mohieddine Amimour, Algeria’s former Minister of Culture; Kamahl Santamaria from Al Jazeera English; James Traub, writer and professional journalist at The New York Times Magazine and Dr Juan Luis Manfredi Mayoral, Director of the department of journalism at the University of Seville.
The session will analyze the impact of digital media in revolutionizing social communication and the role of media in contributing towards the development or deterioration of political stability.
The opening ceremony was attended by HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al-Thani and current heads of state, government officials, opinion leaders, businessmen, academics, media figures and members of international organizations.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, HE the Foreign Minister Dr Khalid bin Mohamed Al-Attiyah shed light on the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Syria, including the killings and displacement suffered by huge swathes of the Syrian people, and the destruction of cities at the hands of the Syrian regime.
“The international community should realize now, more than ever before, the need to find an end to the crisis, stanch blood-letting and stop the destruction, and realize the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people to change while protecting the country's territorial integrity,” Al-Attiyah said in his opening remarks.
The 14th Doha Forum is expected to be attended by more than 600 participants representing over 80 countries and organizations.