Arab League calls on media to encourage understanding among civilizations

Cairo: The Arab League called on the media to play a role in bridging misunderstandings among different civilizations and adopting a discourse that encourages dialogue, understanding and acceptance of the other. 'The media should abandon the exaggeration in showing differences between civilizations,' said Samya Biebers, Director of the Department of Dialogue of Civilizations at the Arab League, in a speech to the opening of the International Conference on Arab League and the Alliance of Civilizations: Message to Media Professionals. 'Media is a double-edged sword. It is a means of communication and knowledge among peoples. But if it does not enjoy objectivity and impartiality, it can lead to problems among peoples and may play a role in the occurrence of violence,' she added. She said that promoters of the clash of civilizations sought to make Islam and Arabism the new enemy of western civilization and our role to take the initiative to thwart those campaigns and re-introduce the Arab Islamic civilization and highlight its role in enriching civilizations. --ONA