I went at the end of the week to take part in a forum for Arab students of media studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London out of a sense of duty, but left it feeling pleased that I had not missed the opportunity to meet a new generation of Arabs who deal with the new media and modern technology as though they were master experts. […] The forum was organized by the Saudi Journalists Club in the United Kingdom. I was invited to attend by PhD student Najat Said, but I hesitated about whether I should accept or decline the invitation, out of fear that I would be unable to attend because I may be travelling as usual. However, as I was returning from Riyadh where I had gone to offer my condolences for the death of Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz, Rest in Peace, I found that Prince Badr bin Saud, the chairman of the club, was with me on the same plane, and he insisted that I accept the invitation. I did not find myself with the representatives of the conventional press, like the printed press and so forth, or in other words, people like me. Instead, I found young men and women from Saudi Arabia, Egypt and other Arab countries studying about the new media, or who are new media professionals and experts. I think that I benefited more than I contributed, while I regained some of my confidence in the future of the nation sleeping on its past glories. I, in such haste that one can read in mere minutes, cannot possibly be fair to everyone and instead I'll be brief, choosing examples from the efforts of a full day that began at eleven in the morning and concluded after nine at night. - The Saudi [female] student Bima Melhem's topic was “Saudi Youths and the Question of Cultural Critique and Political Awareness through the New Media”. In her presentation, she went over the reasons why Saudi Arabia does not suffer from the same problems as other Arab countries, and whether Saudi youths at present are an instrument of social regression, and their conditions between action and reaction. - The researcher Anas Jumaa from Algeria discussed the features of the electronic press, including its limited expenditure, its ability to go beyond borders, and its ability to interact with its readership. He pointed to the weak credentials of those involved in the electronic press, and the threat that the latter may turn into a source of rumors and fabricated news. - Dr. Marwa Agiza from Egypt spoke about the use of electronic technology in the teaching of media-related courses and its impact on the quality of educational services. I found that I had an idea about the topic thanks to the fact that I had followed up in the past the work of Dr. Ghinwa Jalloul and her team working to combat illiteracy by the use of computers in teaching reading and writing. - The Algerian journalist and lecturer Fatima Buhani's topic was the sports media in Algeria and its role in sustainable social development. I chose not to comment on the discussion, for she is an expert, and then my experience with Algerian football consists of what I saw in Cairo when I was present there during the infamous football match that almost led to the relations between two large Arab allies being severed. - The journalist and lecturer Hanan Jundi from Egypt surprised me with her presentation about the ombudsman in Western newspapers, and she had interviewed people entrusted with such capacity in The Washington Post and The Guardian. On the 24th of last month, I had written on this subject after I read a piece in The New York Times written by Arthur Brisbane, the Public Editor as the paper calls him. The piece was published following a controversy about the paper's correspondent in Israel Ethan Bronner, who took fees for giving lectures, as this was considered conflict of interest. I promised colleague Hanan to give her the material I had on the subject, so that she can add it to her research. - The Palestinian journalist and academician Sawsan Taha spoke about Arab satellite channels and their role in internal political conflicts. Naturally, this topic means focusing on Al-Jazeera, which had supported the conflict in Libya, but opposed it in the case of the Palestinians, as such stances usually reflect the inclinations of those who adopt them. - The academician Said Amoudi chose the topic of “Using Visual Aids as an Alternative to Information”, and I understood his explanation of the concept of aids based on the context, which means that the majority of people would understand it as well. I was among a group of guests chosen by the organizers of the Forum to comment on the studies and research that were presented, and I sat with Drs.: Ali Jaber, Saud Kateb, Tarek Sabri and colleague Maha Aqeel from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and we perhaps succeeded in discussing the topics that were presented and offered our constructive comments. The last session was moderated by Prince Badr bin Saud, President of the club, and it was a panel discussion among academicians and media professionals and students on the Arab uprisings and the new media. I believe that the exchanges were beneficial for all in the end, and the Prince gave everyone the chance to speak, which made the session run beyond its scheduled time. I left the Forum with three books that I am determined to read, one from Dr. Saud Kateb entitled “Is the Printed Press on Its Way to Extinction”, and another from brother Adel Khamis Zahrani entitled “Between My Sins…and Your Iniquities”, which is a collection of poems. The third book is entitled “Elderberry Hills” from the student Samia Shuli, whom I found to be proud of both her Saudi identity and her Palestinian roots. She chose to call me “uncle” and I would have been proud to have a niece like her. [email protected]
