The Sixth BRICS Media Forum has called for the strengthening the voices of developing countries.
The forum commenced on Saturday in South Africa with about 200 deputies from no fewer than 100 media outlets.
It also included think tanks and international organisations from about 30 countries which discussed the theme of “BRICS and Africa: Strengthening Media Dialogue for a Shared and Unbiased Future.”
According to English News, the president of Xinhua News Agency, Fu Hua, said the media organisations of BRICS countries carry important responsibilities at this period to benefit from cooperation.
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Speaking at the opening ceremony of the forum, Fu, proposed the promotion of the shared values of humanity, jointly advancing building a more just and equitable international order.
He enjoined the forum with the task of better narrative of BRICS stories in the new era, and jointly promoting cultural exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations.
Dakota Legoete, member of the National Executive Committee of the African National Congress, spoke at the opening of the forum, saying, “Since its establishment in 2015, the BRICS Media Forum has become an important platform to enhance the voice of BRICS countries.”
While some countries attempt to monopolise the international discourse and weaponise the media to attack other sovereign states, the BRICS media have displayed that the media should be dedicated to promoting world development, rather than becoming a tool to provoke wars, Legoete said.
Andrey Kondrashov, director-general of Russia’s TASS news agency, said that over the past decade, the forum has become a distinctive and iconic platform for discussing media cooperation among member states.
He called on the BRICS media to form synergy in combating disinformation and protecting the interests of developing countries.
The Western media depict Africa as something horrible where war, hunger and disease are rampant, said Elizaveta Brodskaya, first deputy editor-in-chief of Russia Today, adding that stories released by media outlets other than the Western ones are labelled as “disinformation” once they diverge from the Western narrative.
Jose Juan Sanchez, chief of Brazil’s financial and agricultural information provider CMA Group, stressed the importance of credible and impartial news information.
“Communication among BRICS media is crucial, and the member countries should seek sustainable development in economic, environmental and social areas,” Sanchez said.
The BRICS Media Forum has made significant contributions in amplifying the international voice of member states and promoting globalisation, with peace and cooperation remaining its main goals, said Helio Doyle, president of the Brazil Communication Company.
Iqbal Surve, executive chairman of Independent Media of South Africa, also stressed that the diverse cultures of the BRICS nations enrich the global conversations, and the BRICS media advocate for an inclusive, cooperative and just new world order.
The forum x-rayed the challenges faced by developing nations, providing them with a platform to express their perspectives and aspirations, Surve noted.
The BRICS Media Forum was proposed by Xinhua News Agency in 2015 and jointly initiated with mainstream media outlets from Brazil, Russia, India and South Africa.
The sixth forum, co-hosted by Xinhua News Agency and the China Energy Investment Corporation (China Energy) as well as organisations from South Africa, aims to promote practical cooperation among BRICS media outlets.
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