The 2021 edition of the International Government Communication Forum (IGCF) kicks off tomorrow (Sunday) at Expo Centre Sharjah, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.
The 2021 edition of the International Government Communication Forum (IGCF) kicks off tomorrow (Sunday) at Expo Centre Sharjah, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.
The milestone 10th edition of the prestigious two-day forum promises to be rich and diverse, bringing together a host of 79 communication experts from around the world to evaluate the historical experience of government communication, discuss innovative crisis management mechanisms and determine the future of public communication.
Policymakers, heads of states and influencers
Organised by the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB) under the slogan ‘Historic lessons, Future ambitions’, IGCF 2021 promises to deliver a rich and diverse edition with heads of states, ministers, thought leaders and influencers, coming together to deliver keynote speeches and participate in pathbreaking interactive sessions.
Among the distinguihed figures participating in IGCF 2021 are the Guest of Honour of this edition, His Royal Highness Prince Turki Al Faisal, Founder and Trustee of King Faisal Foundation and Chairman of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies; HE Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the Arab League; and HE Dr Nayef Falah Al-Hajraf, Secretary General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf.
Other notable speakers at 10th edition include HE Toomas Hendrik Ilves, former President of Estonia; Philip Hammond, British politician and former Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs; Prof. David Halpern, CEO and Board Director of the Behavioural Insights Team; Elizabeth Linder, founder of Facebook’s Politics & Government division and founder of The Conversational Century; Syrian actor Abed Fahed; singer, visual artist and poet Remie Akl; Lebanese television personality, Malek Maktabi; and Egyptian YouTube sensation Ahmed El Ghandour.
31 path-breaking sessions
The two-day global forum will deliver a rich compendium of 31 path-breaking sessions, including seven panel discussions, five inspirational talks, seven training workshops, and 12 interactive programmes that will envision the future of government communications and review mechanisms, tools, and changes in public perceptions.
New era in government communication
HE Tariq Saeed Allay, Director General of SGMB, said: “Tomorrow, we will be welcoming a milestone edition as IGCF completes 10 years of enriching the regional and global government communication landscape. The international forum will spotlight pertinent topics that will be discussed for the first time on a regional level. We hope this edition lays the foundation for a new era of governance in the region.”
He added: “The world has witnessed rapid transformations in many sectors that have impacted the public and challenged governments. We are hopeful that the forum outcomes and recommendations will ensure the future-readiness of government communication teams to meet the challenges resulting from such unpredictable conditions.”
Coming close on the heels of the pandemic, IGCF 2021 will analyse the local and global government responses towards crises, discuss mechanisms to support the readiness of governments and institutions to adapt to unprecedented transformations and how government directions can stabilise communities and improve the public’s quality of life. The forum will also deliberate on the appropriate messaging to be used during different crises, the relationship between content creators and social media platforms, and expanding the focus of government communication teams to include psychologists, data analysts, and behavioural economists.