IGCF 2025 COMMS Programme To Host Four Workshops On Digital Media And AI For Professionals

The International Government Communication Forum (IGCF) is introducing the "COMMS" programme under the theme "Communication for Quality of Life." Organised by the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB), this initiative is part of the pre-forum activities for IGCF's 14th edition. Scheduled from 1st to 4th September at Al Majaz Amphitheatre in Sharjah, it includes four interactive workshops aimed at students, graduates, and media professionals.

Developed with UAE universities, the programme integrates academic insights and practical training. SGMB’s Academic Committee members, who are also university professors, provide academic guidance. Meanwhile, SGMB’s expert trainers offer hands-on professional training based on their real-world experience. This approach aims to enhance participants' skills in the modern media landscape.

The programme begins on 1st September with a workshop titled ‘Specialised Media Content Utilizing AI Technologies and Gen AI tools to Reach the Audiences’. Dr. Mohamed Abdulzaher, CEO of Artificial Intelligence Journalism for Research and Forecasting (AIJRF) in the UAE, will lead this session. It covers content creation fundamentals, personalisation, and automated audience targeting using AI tools.

Participants will also learn prompt engineering and managing generative AI tools to produce diverse media content. Abdulrahman Al Ali from SGMB will discuss professional AI applications in workplaces. This session aims to equip attendees with innovative communication skills combined with professional ethics.

On 2nd September, Dr. Sheren Mousa will conduct a workshop titled ‘Principles of Media Coverage for Government Events’. As an Assistant Professor in Online Journalism and Digital Media and a member of SGMB's Academic Committee for Government Communication, Dr. Mousa will blend academic frameworks with practical techniques for effective media coverage.

This session focuses on delivering accurate, speedy, and clear messages during government events. Trainer Sumaya Arif from SGMB will guide participants through operational aspects of this field. The aim is to balance accuracy with speed while maintaining clarity in communication.

Dr. Elsayed Bekhit will lead a workshop on 3rd September titled ‘Analysing Social Media Performance Using Artificial Intelligence.’ As a Professor of Journalism and Media at Zayed University, he addresses the need for government entities to improve digital platform performance using analytics tools like Fanpage Karma.

Concluding Workshop on AI in Government Communication

The final workshop on 4th September is ‘Using AI in Government Communication’, led by Dr. Mohammad Ayish from the American University of Sharjah. This session presents a framework for creating compelling government narratives using generative AI tools. It covers drafting press releases and producing audio or video segments professionally.

The workshop explores virtual presenters' use for audience engagement with live examples of AI managing government messages during crises and awareness campaigns. Dr. Amel Anbar from SGMB provides strategic insights into using AI effectively in government communication strategies.

The "COMMS" Programme stands out as one of IGCF’s key pre-forum activities by offering an interactive learning environment that equips participants with essential skills in digital content creation, event coverage, social media analysis, and AI-driven storytelling. The 14th edition of IGCF is set for 10th-11th September at Expo Centre Sharjah.

With inputs from WAM