Under the patronage of Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Government of Dubai Media Office (GDMO) today announced the launch of the Public Diplomacy and Government Communication Forum (PDGCF).

The Forum is a new initiative that aims to help government organisations explore more effective communication strategies through a discussion of global best practices and success stories from both the region and the world. The event will be held on 12 March 2017 in Dubai.

The first edition of the Forum is set to attract high-level experts in government communication, as well as seasoned communication consultants from the region and across the world. The Forum will provide a platform to discuss the most important trends, issues and challenges in public diplomacy and government communication.

Director General of the Government of Dubai Media Office Mona Ghanem Al Marri said: “GDMO is keen to proactively contribute to the development of public diplomacy and government communication in Dubai in collaboration with government entities and departments. Government organisations in Dubai were extremely responsive to the ideas proposed by GDMO to foster a discussion on some of the most pressing strategic issues that we encounter today in the practice of public diplomacy and communication. The Forum will discuss a range of topics centred on this key discipline that is critical to the effectiveness of governance.”

The Forum will provide a platform for a rich and varied discussion through workshops and interactive sessions. “We are eager to listen to the discussions and ideas presented at the Forum as our objective is to generate innovative new strategies, ideas and tactics to enhance the effectiveness of government communication in UAE and the region. Sessions at the event will look at how government messages can be communicated clearly using the optimal channels that ensure positive engagement with target audiences,” Al Marri added.

Al Marri said that the Forum’s discussions assume particular importance at a time when digital tools are transforming the nature of communication and social media platforms are changing the engagement between organisations and their audiences.

Noora Al Abbar, Director - Strategic Media Affairs at GDMO, said that the Forum is part of GDMO’s strategy of supporting the development of the communication function in Dubai government organisations. The Forum, she said, will feature a series of high-profile speakers who will analyse best practices and experiences to generate valuable insights on optimising government communication strategies in today’s digital age.

Al Abbar further said that a group of researchers worked to identify regional and international best practices in the government communication sector over the last few years. The team ensured that they selected experiences and success stories covering a wide variety of communication themes. The full agenda of the event will be announced soon

The Public Diplomacy and Government Communication Forum is part of a series of events organised by GDMO across the year to support the evolution of the media and communication sectors, and strengthen relationships between government organisations and the media.