Al Jazeera Forum to explore region’s future Saturday, 12 March 2011 01:29

DOHA: The Sixth Annual Al Jazeera Forum will begin today here to explore the complex and changing political, social and economic landscape in the region and its future ramifications in light of the latest upheavals.

It will discuss about the region’s future hinges on the extent to which the recent uprisings can give rise to new political orders. At the forefront of these revolutions are the Arab youth. The forum, thus, will explore their role as an emerging political force as well as their use of new technological tools, such as social media, to ignite and effect change.

Seminars and sessions will also be dedicated to the evolving nature of journalism: how new methods of investigative reporting have challenged the conventional standards and ethics, and the impact that such imposed transparency may have on events, diplomacy and public opinion in the region and beyond.

Political leaders, intellectuals, media experts and the new generation of activists will also explore the developments of fragile states in the region to better understand the emerging realities and their wider implications. The Forum will address the implications of these recent transformative changes on the future of the region and how they may affect the relationships between the region and the world. Chairman of the Board of Directors of Al Jazeera Network Sheikh Hamad bin Thamer Al Thani in a message said the Forum will offer a platform for an open dialogue, engaging debate and contemplative discussions on the region, its impact globally, and the role of media and journalism in an increasingly dynamic context. The Peninsula