Saudi Arabia will host, for the first time ever, the activities of the 22nd edition of the Arab Radio & TV Festival later this year. To be run between 7-10 November, the festival will be organized by the Saudi Broadcasting Authority (SBA) with the participation of more than 1,000 media professionals from around the world. Many international media organizations, led by the World Broadcasting Unions (WBU), European Broadcasting Union (EBU), Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), African Union of Broadcasting (AUB), Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD), China Global Television Network (CGTN), International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and Mediterranean Center for Audiovisual Communication (CMCA) will take part along with major media organizations from the United Kingdom, Italy and Spain as well as the participation of the Permanent Conference of the Mediterranean Audiovisual Operators (COPEAM). The Kingdom's hosting of the festival, which is considered one of the most prominent media forums, will enhance its regional and international status, and to confirm its weight in the Arab and Islamic worlds. It will also consolidate the Kingdom's position as a global logistics hub, in addition to explaining the cultural transformations that its vibrant society is witnessing, and emphasizing the tolerance, coexistence, and acceptance of various cultures within the country. — SPA
