His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum attends opening of Arab Media Forum 2008

Held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, the forum has brought together more than 500 prominent media leaders from across the region and worldwide.

In his keynote speech, His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Media Incorporated, welcomed the participants and underlined the importance of the forum as a key platform for constructive dialogue among Arab and international media experts.

Referring to Dubai's remarkable success as a leading media centre, H.H. Sheikh Maktoum said: "Dubai has excelled in all sectors, establishing itself as a leading global media hub. We attribute this success to H.H. Sheikh Mohammed's vision that recognizes the key role of media and technology as cornerstones for our development."

He added: "Dubai has translated this futuristic vision on the ground through leading initiatives such as Dubai Internet City and Dubai Media City that has successfully integrated media and technology, the two main building blocks for establishing a knowledge economy.

"The Arab Media Forum has consolidated Dubai's status as a prime media platform for the exchange of views and ideas on the future of the industry in the region."

In its seventh edition, the Arab Media Forum seeks to identify the best possible ways of benefiting from current technological advancements to generate quality media content.

His Highness Sheikh Maktoum added: "Modern technologies have resulted in increasing the global impact of media over the past few years. As part of this phenomenon, the Arab media is now playing a major role on the political, economic and social landscape. It is therefore vitally important for Arab media organizations to utilize the opportunities offered by technology advancements in providing accurate, fast and authentic information."

The Arab Media Forum will conclude tomorrow (24 April) with a gala ceremony to present the Arab Journalism Awards, recognising outstanding contribution to the industry in the Arab world.