RIYADH: The next National Dialogue meeting, to be held in Hail, will take as its theme “The Media and Society… Reality and Paths to Development: Dialogue between Society and Media Organizations”. “The subject has been chosen due to its connection to Saudi society and the changes it's going through,” said Faisal Bin Mu'ammar, secretary general of the King Abdul Aziz Center for National Dialogue. “It is one of the most important subjects currently up for discussion, and the Center is working to guide an objective dialogue between society, organizations and the various sectors to open future avenues for the country and its people.” Bin Mu'ammar said that the previous eight national dialogues had proven their ability to tackle “ideas and visions of public interest”. “The ninth meeting will look at the media and its various components, such as the aspects of modern media which have imposed themselves in recent times as cultural and information resources,” he said. Before the date for the Hail dialogue is set, a series of preparatory meetings will be held across the country in line with previous national dialogues. The first gathering took place in Riyadh in 2002, followed by Makkah, Madina, Dhahran, Abha, Al-Jouf, Qassim, and Najran. Subjects discussed ranged from national unity, excess and moderation, women's rights and duties, youth issues, other cultures, education, labor and employment, and most recently, health services. Sheikh Saleh Al-Hussayin, chairman of the Center's presidential committee, said the gatherings had “opened numerous avenues for discussing issues of concern to society, hosting broad spectrums and visions”, adding that there was stiff competition for the subject of the Hail meeting. “Numerous issues were proposed for the subject of the ninth meeting, but the area of the media was the most prominent,” Al-Hussayin said. “The media is a principal component of the culture of society, and people have developed an interest in the subjects it addresses and how.”
