International guests at the Global South Media Partnership Mechanism Inauguration Meeting and the 13th Global Video Media Forum (VMF) in China's Xi'an on Thursday emphasized the forum's significance in amplifying the voice of the Global South on the global stage.
The two-day forum is taking place in the provincial capital of Shaanxi in northwest China, has gathered nearly 300 participants, including officials, editors, producers, and executives from across the Global South.
Addressing the event, Omar Razzaz, who served as prime minister of Jordan from 2018 to 2020, called for collective efforts to support and promote the steadfast and far-reaching development in getting the voice of the South all over the globe.
"As a citizen of my home country, Jordan, as a citizen of the Global South, as a citizen of this global village that we live in and we all share, I think it is vital to bring in the voice of the Global South into the global arena," said Razzaz, also a senior fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
Patrick Muyaya Katembwe, Minister of Communication and Media and spokesman for the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, echoed the sentiment, saying the forum reflects the growing influence of the Global South.
"This Forum is not an event. It is a signal. The signal that the [Global] South is organizing itself; the signal that our media are taking their place; the signal that we are moving forward," Katembwe said in his speech.
Other participants highlighted the need for countries in the Global South to occupy a more prominent position in the global media landscape, expressing a willingness to engage in more exchanges under the Global South Media Partnership Mechanism to amplify their voice worldwide.
"Through the South Media Partnership Mechanism, we look forward to similar consultation, experience- sharing and content co-production to amplify our voice of unity, responsibility, and creativity to audiences worldwide," said Nguyen Thanh Lam, president of Vietnam Television.
"My narrative is bound to yours. My success is your success. This is the very soul of a 'community with a shared future for mankind' -- a future where truth has many accents, and every voice finds its frequency," said Agnes Kalekye Nguna, managing director and CEO of the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation.
Established by CCTV Video News Agency (CCTV+) in 2011, the VMF focuses on video content dissemination and technological innovations and serves as a key annual exchange platform for global media users and partners. The event has now evolved into a premier global forum, attracting extensive participation from media organizations and professionals worldwide.
Int’l guests highlight video media forum's role in amplifying voice of Global South
