MWL chief to media: Defend Muslim causes

The Muslim media should play an important role in spreading the message of Islam, said Muslim World League Secretary-General Abdullah Al-Turki on Sunday.“Islam is a peaceful religion that offers solutions to global problems,” he said in a statement before leaving for Jakarta to attend an international Islamic media conference.Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will open the three-day conference on Tuesday.The conference titled “New Media and Information Technology: Challenges and Opportunities” is jointly organized by the MWL and the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs. More than 500 journalists from different parts of the Islamic world are expected to attend the event.Al-Turki emphasized the need for a strong media capable of defending Muslim causes and protecting their cultural identity and called for greater coordination among Muslim media organizations. “They should also work for strengthening Muslim unity,” he pointed out.The Muslim media should also confront extremist thoughts and ideologies and promote dialogue between Muslims and other faith communities, he said. “Interfaith dialogue will be beneficial not only for Muslims but for the entire humanity as well,” he added.Al-Turki said the MWL had conducted a number of media-related conferences in the past to discuss problems and issues facing the Muslim media.He hoped that the Jakarta conference would bring about a dramatic improvement in the performance of Islamic media organizations, giving them a new direction.Hassan Al-Ahdal, director general for media and public relations at the MWL, emphasized the need for a strong Muslim media to challenge stereotypes. “We should have a strong media, including satellite channels and news agencies that can influence public opinion," he told Arab News.He urged Muslim businessmen to invest in the media. "We don't have a strong international news agency, we don't have satellite channels that can speak to the West. We have to change this situation. We have funds and human resources," he added.Al-Ahdal said the Jakarta conference will propose the establishment of television channels that can address the West and formation of an independent international news agency.The conference will focus on five core topics: Contemporary Media: Components and Impact; Collaboration and Networking of Media in the Muslim World; Islamic Media Discourse; Media and Dialogue; and Proposals to Boost Muslim Media.