OIC chief affirms need for strong Islamic media

JEDDAH, Dec 23, 2010: Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, secretary-general of the 57-member Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), on Wednesday emphasized the need for a strong media to confront the smear campaign against Islam and Muslims.

"There is big negligence from the part of Islamic media organizations in keeping with the fast developments in the media world," he told the General Assembly of the Islamic Broadcasting Union (IBU), an affiliate of OIC.

Ihsanoglu said the extraordinary OIC summit that was held in Makkah in 2005 at the initiative of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah had called for strengthening OIC media agencies such IBU and the International Islamic News Agency (IINA).

Culture and Information Minister Abdul Aziz Khoja, who presided over the meeting, emphasized the need to strengthen IBU in order to realize the hopes and aspirations of the Ummah.

The Saudi minister called for greater cooperation between OIC countries in producing world-class radio and television programs. "We should also highlight the developments taking place in our countries in a professional manner," he said. Khoja spoke about King Abdullah's interfaith dialogue initiative that has won the applause of world leaders. "It is the duty of IBU to highlight such important initiatives to inform the world that the Islamic Ummah works for global peace and stability," he said. He congratulated the Islamic world on King Abdullah's recovery.

The meeting, which was held at OIC headquarters here, approved the appointment of Malaysia's Zain Al-Abidine Ibrahim as the new secretary-general of the union. It also endorsed the reports of 2009 and 2010 and reshuffled the union's Executive Council.
By P.K. ABDUL GHAFOUR | ARAB NEWS