South Africa will co-host the third BRICS Media Forum in Cape Town on Wednesday and Thursday, with 120 delegates from key media houses in the five-country alliance and from Africa attending.
The Media Forum will be held at the Westin Hotel on the Foreshore. It is the largest BRICS media forum yet. BRICS Business Council chairman and co-host of the Media Forum Dr Iqbal Survé is co-hosting the BRICS Media Forum with the president of China’s Xinhua News Agency, Cai Mingzhao.
Guest speakers include Minister of Communication, Ms Nomvula Mokanyane and Mr Wang Xiaoh head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.
This year’s theme is BRICS Media Co-operation - Fostering an Inclusive, Just World Order. Topics which will be discussed include: Strengthening the BRICS narrative: media's role and responsibility; and Imagining a shared global future forged by constructive and development journalism: seeking ways to enhance co-operation among the new media in BRICS countries.
The Media Forum is held in tandem with South Africa hosting this year’s Brazil, Russian, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) summit, and the BRICS Business Council. The media forum was hosted by China last year.
Survé said the role of BRICS and the BRICS Business Council in carving out a better future for almost half of the world, should not be underestimated and the media has an opportunity to be part of the journey.
“We cannot emphasise enough how important the media is in changing the narrative of the work BRICS countries are doing. There are stories that need to be told, of how alliances and partnerships are being forged to invest across borders, not only in BRICS, but also into Africa.
"Stories of how building a road, a bridge or a railway line can change the destiny of people. It creates opportunities for foreign direct investments which, in turn, translate into jobs. Reporting on these developments in an unbiased, factual way, can help change the way we are viewed,” Survé said.
Delegates are expected from The Xinhua News Agency, People's Daily, China Daily, China.org, Chinanet, China Central TV and the Shanghai United Media Group
The Russian contingent includes representatives from: Russia Today TV, TV BRICS, Sputnik News Agency and Radio, TASS Russian News Agency and Rossiyskaya Gazeta.
Indian media houses are sending delegates from: The Hindu, India Today, The Indian Express, ABP News Network and Indo-Asian News Service. Brazilian media houses CMG Group, Correio Braziliense, Valor Econômico and Monitor Mercantil will attend.
South African media houses include: Independent Media, Media24, Mail & Guardian, SABC, Tiso Blackstar and the African News Agency.
In an exciting development, media representatives from Swaziland, Namibia, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, Liberia and Ghana will also be in attendance.
Heads and students of journalism and media faculties from Rhodes, Wits, Stellenbosch, UWC and UCT have been invited as observers.
The public is invited to a joint photographic exhibition at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) to view more than 120 images resonate with the conference theme. The exhibition will be open to the public from Wednesday from 12:00 onwards.