Ramallah: The General Secretariat of the League of Arab States announced the commencement of a series of preparatory meetings for the 56th session of the Council of Arab Information Ministers, scheduled to take place on September 14-15, 2026, in Tripoli, Libya. Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the Media and Communication Sector, Ambassador Ahmed Rashid Khattabi, stated that these meetings will focus on strengthening solidarity with the Palestinian people and promoting the Palestinian narrative internationally, including preserving the historical and legal status of Jerusalem through an open and effective media strategy. According to Palestine News and Information Agency, the meetings will also address efforts to promote a culture of peace, rejecting violence and discrimination, and showcasing the civilized image of the Arab world. Various stakeholders, including states, organizations, professional associations, and civil society institutions, will be involved in these discussions. Ambassador Khatta bi added that the meetings are being held in accordance with the directives of Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy, with the aim of injecting greater dynamism into the system of joint Arab action. This initiative aims to develop the Arab media landscape through a participatory approach and integrated institutional performance among member states and the General Secretariat. The preparatory meetings will begin on July 12 at the Arab League headquarters, where specialized working groups will draft recommendations for submission to the Permanent Committee for Arab Media and the Executive Office ahead of the ministerial session. The agenda includes following up on the implementation of the resolutions of the 55th session, held in Cairo in November 2015, evaluating the "Media Action Plan Abroad," and holding the 29th session of the Permanent Expert Group on the Role of Arab Media in Combating Terrorism. Khattabi emphasized the importance of completing the work of the team tasked with negotiating with international med ia companies, considering this a pressing priority for establishing clear and transparent frameworks for dealing with these companies. This effort aims to enhance Arab digital sovereignty and protect cultural identity and heritage, stressing the integrated nature of these efforts across their media, legal, and tax dimensions. He further stated that the meetings will also include a meeting of the team concerned with the executive program of the Arab Media Roadmap for Sustainable Development, and the 23rd session of the Standing Committee for Electronic Media, which will work on preparing a draft Arab model law and regulating the work of influencers and digital content creators, as well as discussing the project to establish the 'China-Arab Exchange Center for Audiovisual Innovation.' The meetings are scheduled to begin on July 12 and 13 with the 10th session of the Arab Media Excellence Award jury, with participation from representatives of Syria, the current presidency of the Council of Arab Information Min isters; Kuwait, the presidency of the Executive Bureau; the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, the vice-presidency of the Executive Bureau; Kuwait, the award's sponsoring country; and Rabat, the Arab Media Capital for 2026 (Kingdom of Morocco), in addition to five other member states listed alphabetically. The current edition of the award is themed: 'Arab Media and Artificial Intelligence: Opportunities and Challenges.'
