President Ilham Aliyev addressed the participants of the Media Forum on the topic “Building Trust Through Media in a Polarized World” held in Baku.
elchi reports that the address stated:
“Dear Forum participants!
I sincerely greet you and congratulate you on the launch of the AQEM Media Forum in Baku. Welcome to Azerbaijan!
The Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), which covers 90% of the Asian continent and brings together 28 member states, is an important and unique dialogue platform that serves to strengthen mutual trust and cooperation among member states with the aim of promoting sustainable development, contributing to peace, security, and stability in the region.
Azerbaijan, which has chaired this organization for the past two years, has demonstrated determination and consistency in ensuring confidence-building measures, sparing no effort to strengthen CICA’s institutional capacity, expand practical joint activities, and further enhance the organization’s role in the system of international relations.
During our chairmanship of CICA, high-level meetings held in Baku on various issues, as well as events organized among think tanks, experts, business circles, and youth, have contributed to the intensification of mutual relations within the organization and further strengthened Azerbaijan’s position as a venue for dialogue and multilateral cooperation.
The organization of the first Media Forum within the CICA framework at Azerbaijan’s initiative in Baku, and its holding on the eve of the CICA Summit, is of particular importance in terms of drawing attention to the significant role the organization plays on the international stage and the activities we have carried out jointly with member states during our chairmanship.
Today’s Forum, dedicated to the topic “Building Trust Through Media in a Polarized World,” is an opportune moment to demonstrate that the field of information and communication is an important component of trust-building. The media is now viewed not only as a means of information exchange but also as an important tool for public diplomacy, mutual understanding, and regional cooperation.
Azerbaijan pays special attention to developing the media and communication sector within the CICA framework, expanding bilateral and multilateral cooperation with member states in the media field, and improving information exchange mechanisms. Partnership relations formed between various media organizations in recent years, as well as the participation of media representatives from CICA member states in international media events hosted by Azerbaijan, have created conditions for practical cooperation in this direction.
The world is currently going through a complex period characterized by rapidly changing geopolitical realities, increasing security challenges, and profound transformations in the media landscape. In the digital age, where different interests and perspectives clash, any disseminated information has the potential to influence inter-societal and inter-state relations.
The media, which covers and conveys events to society, is a force that can influence the formation of public opinion, mutual trust and understanding, and opportunities for dialogue and cooperation. The widespread dissemination of disinformation, the creation of fake information and materials using artificial intelligence technologies directly impact public trust. Especially at a time when the role of social media and digital platforms in the information space is rapidly growing, the accountability and responsibility of the media are increasing. All of this further raises the demands for the professionalism and objectivity of media institutions, making the formation of shared information responsibility necessary.
Reliable information should become a quality indicator not only of professional journalism but of the entire information environment. Strengthening cooperation between state institutions, media entities, digital platforms, journalists, researchers, and civil society is of great importance in this regard. Increasing media literacy and the responsible application of new technologies are also important conditions for creating a sustainable foundation of trust.
In this context, the holding of the AQEM Media Forum is a landmark event in terms of enriching cooperation in the media field with new content and directions. I am confident that the current Forum, attended by reputable media representatives from friendly countries, will contribute to the development of cooperation in the media sector within the AQEM space, the implementation of joint projects, and the exchange of experience on honest, effective, and agile communication.
I wish success to the Forum and productive discussions.”
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10:09
President Ilham Aliyev addressed the participants of the Media Forum on the topic “Building Trust Through Media in a Polarized World” held in Baku.
The address was read by Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan – Head of the Foreign Policy Department of the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Hikmet Hajiyev.