Arab media personnel and thinkers participating in the session titled “The Arab Region in a Changing World” at the Arab Media Forum asserted that the Arab world is undergoing significant transformations amid major international and regional changes. They emphasized that political Islam poses one of the greatest threats to any successful Arab initiative.
The discussion featured contributions from Dr. Mohammed Al-Rumaihi, writer; Emad El-Din Hussein, editor-in-chief of the Egyptian newspaper Al-Shorouk; and media figure and parliament member Paula Yacoubian, moderated by journalist Youssef Al-Sharif from Sky News Arabia.
Dr. Mohammed Al-Rumaihi noted that the world is experiencing major changes, with the international rules established after World War II no longer holding. He characterized the current phase as one of “building fortresses,” where new coalitions and alliances are forming, while Arabs have yet to create their own “fortress.”
He identified political Islam as a significant threat to any successful Arab project, claiming it distorts religion for its own purposes. Additionally, he highlighted that the media crisis begins with education, stating, “If we do not raise a generation with intellectual resilience, we will not have effective media.”
He pointed out that annual spending on education in the Arab world ranges from $12 to $15 billion, primarily concentrated in specific countries, yet Arab curricula remain traditional and outdated, failing to equip generations to engage with modern media.
Emad El-Din Hussein addressed the reality that several Arab nations are embroiled in civil wars or identity conflicts, suggesting that the vision of a “united Arab world” is increasingly challenging under these circumstances. He placed significant blame on political Islam for dismantling Arab unity and deemed it a major threat to stability and progress in the region.
Hussein also spoke about the decline of traditional media, particularly print journalism, which he described as “on the verge of extinction.” He affirmed the growth of digital and individual media but criticized established media organizations for lagging behind and failing to engage with younger audiences.
He continued, “Most of today’s youth do not read newspapers or even online sites. So, how can we reach them? The majority of Arab media is still struggling to understand its audience.”
On her part, Paula Yacoubian emphasized that the Arab world has a historic opportunity to build a comprehensive Arab project, provided it discards ideologies and concepts that hinder progress, especially political Islam.
She stated, “The core issue lies not only in external pressures or regional projects but also in the internal threat that disguises itself under the guise of religion to undermine any national initiative.”
Yacoubian called for a new media discourse that goes beyond just reflecting the majority opinion to seek truth and advocate for reason and enlightenment.
She concluded, “We need media that produces genuine ideas rather than mere superficial images without substance; otherwise, we will remain trapped in a cycle of slogans and mobilization that fail to offer anything meaningful to the people.”