Africa-Press – Botswana. Awareness of the importance of international cooperation and playing a better role as a link in promoting green technology around the world by media professionals remains key.
The sentiments were expressed by Xinhua’s senior reporter, Ms Han Jie in her presentation on the role of the media in fostering innovation and driving green development during the sixth BRICS Media Forum panel discussion in Johannesburg, South Africa on Sunday.
Ms Han said while BRICS countries had listed sustainable development as a key area of cooperation in the strategy for economic partnership, it was important for the media to play a better role as a bridge.
“We should tell good BRICS stories of green development. Delegates for this forum have brought us good cases of green development. We hope to have more platforms like this one to share with each other stories of people from different countries who are pursuing and realising their dreams so as to fully showcase the achievements and prospects of each country,” she said.
Ms Han also emphasised the need for media outlets to work together to leverage the strength of BRICS media for global development.
“We can share experiences, learn from each other in media integration and development, use new technologies to build new communication models and platforms and inject new and powerful impetus for green development of BRICS countries,” she said.
She opined that the spirit of BRICS partnership of openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation would guide the bloc’s media to carry out diversified practical cooperation in order for the world to hear louder voices of BRICS through media efforts.
The panel discussion on the role of the media in fostering innovation and driving green development saw panellists share different views but unanimously highlighting the need to shape public opinion and promote sustainable practices. This included the need for the media to provide accurate and balanced information on issues related to innovation and green development.
Some panellists also discussed the challenges faced by the media in covering such topics, highlighting the lack of resources and expertise in specialised areas as one of the main impediments.
Some were of the view that media organisations needed to invest in training and capacity-building to enable journalists to effectively report on innovation and green development.
Furthermore, they outlined some opportunities for collaboration among the BRICS and African countries in promoting innovation and green development.
Panellists also held a common view that the media had a significant role to play in advancing innovation and green development in the BRICS countries and also underscored the importance of accurate and reliable reporting to raise awareness and foster positive change.
Panellists included South Africa’s BRICS Sherpa Mr Anil Sooklal, Infrastructure Industrialisation and Trade, African Union Development Agency director Mr Amine Adoum, Radio Africa Group head of content Mr Paul Ilado, South African Bureau of Science & Technology Daily (China) chief correspondent Mr Feng Zhiwen, among others.
Meanwhile, the sixth BRICS media forum, which was held August 18-20, was co-hosted by Xinhua News Agency and the China Energy Investment Corporation (China Energy) and other South African organisations.
The three-day event was held under the theme: BRICS and Africa: Strengthening Media Dialogue for a Shared and Unbiased Future. It aimed to promote practical cooperation among BRICS media outlets and other African countries.
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