The 1st Uzbekistan-Azerbaijan Media Forum "In Search of Truth in the Digital Age: Combating Disinformation" was held in Tashkent
On September 24, 2024 the First Uzbekistan-Azerbaijan Media Forum titled "In search of truth in the Digital Age: Combating Disinformation" was held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The forum was attended by Ahmad Ismayilov, the Executive Director of the Media Development Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ismat Sattarov, the Chair of the Audiovisual Council of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Kamran Hasanov, the Head of the Sector for Work with the Media of the Administration of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Vugar Aliyev, the Chairman of the Board of "AzerTac", Rashad Majid, the Chairman of the Press Council as well as representatives of television channels and news agencies.
Addressing the forum, the Press Secretary of the President of Uzbekistan Sherzod Asadov noted that active contacts and systematic dialogue established between the two countries in the field of media, with the exchange of opinions and experience being expanded, which yields the tangible results. He stressed: "In the current era of global upheaval, there are serious dangers in providing objective information. We see this even in countries that position themselves as the standard of freedom. All this has a negative impact on information consumers all over the world. In such a situation, our cooperation with fraternal Azerbaijan is becoming especially important. Relations between our countries have reached a new level, and a solid foundation has been created to combat disinformation."
Ahmed Ismayilov, the Executive Director of the Media Development Agency, emphasized that thanks to the strong political will of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, and the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, fraternal relations and regional relations have strengthened between the two countries, as well as the intensive ties that have made a significant contribution to the development of our regions and dynamically impact all areas, including the media. He noted that active work is underway to establish partnerships between organizations responsible for media development and coordination in Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, enhance the functions of communication departments within state institutions, facilitate the exchange of experiences in media education and media literacy, and strengthen cooperation among media entities, and in this context, the 1st Uzbekistan-Azerbaijan Media Forum will play a significant role in supporting joint efforts to combat disinformation and in exploring ways to address the current situation.
Kamran Hasanov, the Head of the Media Sector in the Department for Work with Non-Governmental Organizations and Communication at the Administration of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, emphasized that in the modern era, where information is a primary resource, manipulation through disinformation can lead to destabilization of public order and undermine trust in state institutions. Therefore, according to him, exchanging experiences and successful models, as well as learning new skills and approaches, is crucial. Highlighting that, alongside participating in the media forum, Azerbaijani media representatives and press service staff from government bodies had the opportunity to hold meetings with their Uzbek counterparts as part of the experience exchange, Hasanov stressed the importance of further strengthening close cooperation between Azerbaijani and Uzbek media entities to ensure the security of information exchange.
Senator Mahmud Parpiev, a permanent member of the Committee on Information Policy and Transparency in State Bodies of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan, noted that the digital age is opening up new opportunities for information dissemination. He said: "We get a lot of information through social media. But unfortunately, we cannot regulate this flow. So now there is an information war going on, and we have to join efforts to combat disinformation."
Huseyn Guliyev, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Uzbekistan expressed confidence in his speech that this forum will help solve topical media problems and contribute to strengthening friendly ties between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan.
The Forum continued its work with panel sessions. The Chair of the Audiovisual Council Ismat Sattarov spoke at a panel session on the topic "Strengthening cooperation between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan in the field of media and communication".
Also, within the framework of the Forum, the Azerbaijani delegation met with the Director General of the Information and Mass Communications Agency under the Administration of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Asajan Khodjaev. At the meeting, a broad discussion was held on establishing effective and large-scale ties in the field of media and communication between the two countries, as well as on issues of global significance in the field of information and communication technologies. The importance of implementing concrete projects was emphasized.
