‘UAE Set to Become Global Hub For New Media’

Commenting on the 1 Billion Followers Summit, Al Gergawi said the event has started big and continued to grow in its second edition….reports Asian Lite News

Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, said that the global media sector today is going at a turning point that could bring about huge and unexpected shifts in both media and technology.

The minister noted: “Our goal for the UAE is to become the focal point for new media. Thanks to the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to establish a permanent influencers headquarters in Dubai, the UAE will be a global hub for influencers by supporting them to create positive content.”
“Content creation is not an easy job, because content has the power to build communities or bring them down. Creating specialised content requires support and training, which helps build knowledge,” Al Gergawi said.

“The UAE government is an active government, as H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum always says: “We do what we say, and we say what we do”. And while many said that the global economic downturn marked the end of dreams, but the UAE proved it has just started… We have reached Mars; we are part of the lunar space station project; and we continue to affect a cultural and humanitarian transformation that serves all humankind. The UAE’s mission extends its positive impact well beyond our national boundaries, serving a larger, global purpose.”

Commenting on the 1 Billion Followers Summit, Al Gergawi said the event has started big and continued to grow in its second edition. He promised bigger and more influential future editions, highlighting the growing importance of new media, and the need to create exceptional content that adds value to humanity.

1 Billion Followers Summit Wraps Up 2nd Edition

The 1 Billion Followers Summit concluded its second edition in Dubai on Thursday reiterating the importance of digital content creation and its rapidly evolving role in communication, learning, and entertainment, in the region and around the world.

Organised by the New Media Academy on January 10- 11, the event engaged over 300 million social media users across various digital platforms.

The summit’s hashtag #1BillionSummit ranked among the most followed hashtags worldwide in the past couple of days, with engagements exceeding 489 million. Additionally, the summit was the focus of 300+ local and international journalists who took the summit’s voice to the world and conducted exclusive interviews with some of the world’s most famous influencers on social media.

Up to 195 speakers and content creators from 95 countries and regions shared unique experiences, advice, and secrets to success across the fields of art, sports, education, health, business, and environment. The event attracted 7,000 attendees and participants, including 3,000 content creators, who hailed the platform as a unique opportunity to connect and collaborate with content creators from different countries and cultures.

Saeed Al Eter, Chairman of the UAE Government Media Office, affirmed that the UAE continues to boost its influence on the international media scene, introducing the world to its collective achievements. He also lauded the country’s exceptional ability to stay ahead of developments and anticipate major transformations in the field of new media, to embrace this vast space and invest in its unlimited potential.

He said, “The 1 Billion Followers Summit embodies the UAE’s commitment to developing the creative industries and writing a new chapter in the evolution of digital media and content creation. This is achieved by providing a nurturing environment to attract talents and innovators, organizing events that bring together influential names in the field to benefit from their experiences, and inspiring journeys that serve as a motivation for new content creators in developing visions, goals, and tools”.

He added, “The Summit is a new affirmation of our country’s strong presence in every positive change aimed at advancing means of communication among people. We have great confidence that the success of this event, which brought together more than 7,000 participants from 95 countries around the world, including over 3,000 content creators, influencers, and creatives, will be a qualitative leap in its journey, as well as the journey of new media and content creation in our country, the Arab region, and the world,” affirming that the UAE will remain a cradle of creativity.

Alia Al Hammadi, CEO of the New Media Academy, affirmed that the vibrant regional and global engagement with the summit – its events, activations and discussions – asserts Dubai’s leadership in providing a nurturing and supportive environment for creative industry professionals and emerging talents. It also solidifies the city’s position as a preferred destination for content creators and influencers of various nationalities and cultures.

She said: “The summit offered a pioneering and comprehensive platform for exchanging experiences and knowledge among participants. It has offered the tools and the right guidance to empower social media practitioners to hone their talent, creativity and capabilities, asserting that communication is the new and most widely used global currency. Dubai will continue striving to offer the best platforms and services to advance the value of this sector and those who operate within it.”

Al Hammadi thanked the partners, sponsors, speakers, and attendees who contributed to the success of the second edition of the summit and expressed her hope to meet them again in the next edition.
The summit, over the course of two days, organised 24 panel discussions, hosting an elite group of the world’s leading social media pioneers. These discussions covered the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities in the creative industries and digital media. The event also featured speeches from top executives and international business leaders, highlighting the role of new media in enhancing community development, the importance of producing content that elevates the audience’s tastes and embedding awareness in generations in line with the summit’s vision.

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