Gulf Press Union Concludes First Meeting in Doha

Doha: The Board of Directors of the Gulf Press Union (GPU) decided at the conclusion of its first meeting, hosted by the Qatar Press Center, to open the membership door for joining the union and to appoint new committees, including the Freedom Committee, the Gulf Women Journalists Committee, and the Digital Media Committee. The board members also approved, at the end of their three-day meeting, the minutes of the preparatory meeting held in Manama in January, as well as the adoption of the new union logo, the approval of the website, and other procedural matters related to administrative and financial regulations, membership forms and fees, in addition to approving several training programs and exploring ways to enhance financial resources. They also approved membership fees for associations, unions, and institutions. During their first meeting, the board of directors discussed other topics related to enhancing the work of the union and upcoming action plans to ensure the achievement of the union's goals b y enhancing joint journalistic work, with the participation of presidents of associations, unions, and media centers in the GCC countries. Saad bin Mohammed Al Rumaihi, a member of the Board of Directors of the GPU and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Qatar Press Center, noted the GPU's response to the center's invitation to host the first meeting of the union in Qatar, which represents a strong and new start for joint Gulf work in journalism. He noted that the meeting in Doha provided an opportunity to address the current challenges facing journalism in the Gulf region, which are part of global challenges, including how to attract youth to journalism. He pointed out that the establishment of the Digital Media Committee is an important and positive step to keep pace with the rapid changes in the field of journalism. On his part, GPU Vice President and Secretary-General Isa Al Shaiji praised the Qatar Press Center for hosting the first meeting of the union's board of directors and commended the cen ter's efforts in achieving the union's strategic objectives at the GCC level. He stated that the first meeting reviewed a range of topics of mutual interest, including those requiring further coordination and follow-up in the coming months, especially regarding future projects and the development of executive plans. Therefore, the members of the board agreed to hold the next board meeting in September. The Doha meeting yielded several outcomes, including the approval of joint work plans and important recommendations, such as opening the membership door and appointing specialized committees such as the Digital Media Committee, the Freedom Committee, and the Women Journalists Committee, aiming to enhance press freedom, support youth in journalism, and provide all necessary support for working women in the field of journalism, which is of great importance in developing Gulf journalism and media content. At the end of the meeting, Isa Al Shaiji was appointed acting GPU President during the upcoming period afte r the members approved the resignation of Mohammed Al Hammadi, the former GPU President, acknowledging his significant efforts that contributed to supporting the work of the union. The Gulf Press Union was established based on a preparatory meeting held in Manama in January, aimed at promoting Gulf journalism, ensuring the rights of journalists and media professionals, and developing communication channels between international, Arab, and global journalistic organizations. Additionally, the union aims to implement joint Gulf media projects among the GCC countries. Source: Qatar News Agency