Sharjah, UAE: 26 March, 2017:  The sixth International Government Communication Forum (IGCF 2017), which is currently underway in Sharjah under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, hosted a special interactive session with Sharjah Government Communication Award Ambassadors. The session was attended by government communication professionals from UAE government organisations and discussed two main topics: spokespersons in UAE government organisations and social media communication security.

Asma Al Juwaied, Manager of the Sharjah Government Communication Award, said such sessions reflect the award’s functions and goals. We aim to introduce government organisations to the importance of professional communication which helps build a healthy relation with the public.

Al Juwaied added: “The UAE is a leading country in Government Communication. We seek to maintain and further enhance our position by turning the knowledge accumulated by the GCA into professional practices”.

Mohammed Al-Shamsi, Director of Corporate Communication at the Federal Water and Electricity Authority, talked about the role of official spokespersons. Al-Shamsi said the personality and competency of the spokesperson play a major role in delivering the message to the audience. Al-Shamsi expressed pride in being part of the this unique programme under the patronage of HH Shekih Dr Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi.

Al-Shamsi added that working with the GCA was an inspiration to develop and enhance the communication practice in the Authority and it had a major role in driving government organisations to adopt best standards and practices in their communication endeavours.

Ahlam Abdulrahman Al Feel, Director of Corporate Communication and Chief Executive Happiness Officer at the Telecommunication Regulatory Authority, talked about safe usage of digital communication by officials. She warned of the chaos that could be caused by inaccurate or misleading information and its effect on public mood and stability.

She applauded the new decision in UAE to punish offenders committing social media offences with community service. Al Feel said the nature of such offences affect public opinion and this type of punishment can remove the negative effect of the offence.

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, the sixth edition of the International Government Communication Forum (IGCF 2017) runs from March 22 to 23 at Expo Centre Sharjah. Themed ‘Societal Participation…Comprehensive Development’, IGCF 2017 examines how the world’s nations can leverage effective government communication to achieve the United Nations’ sustainable development goals (SGDs), which have become the top priority of government programmes, international institutions, media organisations and civil society.

Offering a transparent platform to examine current issues and formulate recommendations to help governments optimise the impact of their communication, IGCF 2017 convenes more than 2,500 local and international personalities from the ranks of government officials, experts, thought leaders, and government communication professionals.