The new Arab Journalism Award Council holds its first meeting at Dubai Press Club

During the meeting the new council was announced which includes leading UAE and Arab media leaders.

His Highness Khalfan Al-Roomy, former UAE Minister of Information, is the President of the new council, where as Mohammed Jasim Al-Saqr, member of the Kuwaiti Al-Qabs journal management council and former Chief Editor, will be the Vice President. The council also includes Mohammed Barakat, Al-Akhbar Chief Editor, Osama Saraya, Al-Ahram Chief Editor, Ghassan Charbel, Al-Hayat Chief Editor, Dr. Azzam bin Mohammed Al-Dakhil, Al-Saudiya research and marketing group Vice Chief Executive, Seif Al-Sharif, General Manager of Al-Dastoor Journal, Joseph Smaha, Chief Editor of Al-Safeer Journal, Moroccan Journalist Abdul-ilah Belqziz, Mohammed Yousef, Journalists' Association Chief, Omran Matar Taryam, Al-Khaleej Journal Managing Editor Executive, Thaen Shaheen, Al-Bayan Chief Editor Executive, Naser Al-Thahery, Al-Arabiya Journalism and Media General Manager, Media Expert Ghassan Tahboob, Abdullah Rasheed from Emirates Media Inc., Aisha Sultan from Dubai Media Inc. Mona Al-Marri, General Secretary of Arab Journalism Award, and Hassa Al-Rasheed, the Award coordinator, attended the meeting.

During the meeting, revision of the Award's main procedures and modification of some points took place in order to suit the Council's plans to strengthen the Award's performance and expanding it to include the Arab countries, and the Arab journalists residing outside the borders of the Arab world. Council members discussed the evaluation criteria for each Award category.

Mona Al-Marri said,

"The secret of success of any enterprise lies in its continuous development policies and its commitment to the renewal and updating the criteria. Arab Journalism Award has been open to accepting every criticism made regarding its operations by journalists from all over the region ever since its launch in 1999".

Al-Marri added, "Following the term of the first Award council, which lasted four years, the General Secretary held a number of meetings with leading local and regional media leaders to revise the Award's procedure during the last period, and to hold a complete evaluation for the past years, and study new ways to develop its performance, and discussing every aspect that would aid in developing the Award and expanding its work locally and regionally".