Taha Haseeb (Abu Dhabi)
In the presence of a constellation of media professionals and researchers, the Trends Center for Research and Consultation launched, at the start of its activities for the new year 2022, a new initiative called “Trends Experts”.
The initiative comes in partnership with Al-Ittihad, and with the support of the Emirates News Agency, WAM, the Mohammed bin Zayed University for Human Sciences and the National Human Rights Authority. And to highlight their ideas and research in regional and international forums.
Dr. Muhammad Al-Ali, Executive Director of Trends for Research and Consulting, stressed that the initiative reflects the desire to activate the participation of Emirati experts in conferences and seminars, and through his experience in the past few months, especially in a joint conference held by the Center in Washington, DC, in cooperation with the Atlantic Council. Al-Ali pointed out that there are shortcomings in the participation of Emirati experts in conferences. Al-Ali added that the center presented an initiative last July to support the Emirati pens, and now, through the global “Trends Experts” initiative, we seek to enrich the international community with the best Emirati experts. Al-Ali indicated that the center has developed its strategy since 2014 to address the world as a think tank, and has succeeded in concluding partnerships with 108 research centers worldwide.
Knights of Knowledge
His Excellency Dr. Maqsoud Cruz, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the National Human Rights Authority, gave an intervention about the launch of the initiative. At the outset, he thanked “Trends” for launching the initiative, expressing his hope that it would be a breakthrough for the scientific research process in the UAE, by celebrating the Emirati experts, the knights of knowledge who contributed and did not They are still in the process of thought and enlightenment from the reality of knowledge and professionalism.
Cruz expressed his gratitude for this generous gesture from the Trends Center for Research and Consultation by granting him the “Honorary Presidency of the Scientific and Academic Council”, to contribute with a group of thought leaders and knowledge leaders. He added, “I look forward to continuing the path of serious research work and sober intellectual construction for the sake of a promising Emirati knowledge society.”
Cruz quoted a saying by the German thinker and writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, which states that “knowledge alone is not sufficient, it must be accompanied by application. And the will alone is not enough, it must act.” According to Cruz, what is hoped for by the “Emirati experts” is the ability to transform “knowledge” into an “application” that enables it to directly contribute to creating change and impact, by developing a “knowledge partnership” between these experts with the community and working on developing ideas. and perceptions, in preparation for reaching practical mechanisms and normative tools.
Cruz added: We at the “National Human Rights Commission” are fundamentally aware of the essential importance of “legal experts”, with regard to raising levels of societal awareness of the culture of “human rights” not only at the level of theoretical concepts, but also at the practical level in the field reality. Cruz continued his intervention, saying: We should work on qualifying the “legal expert” to achieve the highest levels of human rights culture in everything related to human rights in society. And for there to be “legal experts” means that their task is not in theorizing, but rather in rooting the “knowledge approach” among groups of society to achieve the highest levels of “human rights awareness.”
“legal expert”
Cruz called for attention to specialists in legal and legal studies to be an integral part of the process of “sustainable human rights development”, especially if we know that the current number of graduates in the field of legal and legal studies in the country by the end of 2009 is estimated at 1260 graduates, both citizens and residents. But this does not mean that the “legal expert” is necessarily a graduate of legal and legal studies only; Graduates of international relations, humanities and social sciences have the same importance in promoting a “culture of human rights” and “a culture of the rule of law,” given that all are citizens and residents equal before the law.
Speakers in the media
The speech was transmitted to Mohammed Jalal Al Raisi, Director General of the Emirates News Agency “WAM”, stressing that we are talking about 50 years of remarkable achievements, and that the next 50 years need creative achievements. Al Raisi pointed out that in the media sector, there is a need for Emirati experts to speak to convey the country’s achievements abroad, and we need lists of personalities with diverse political, economic and technical experiences. Al Raisi added: The UAE focuses on the economy, technology and the environment, and this needs voices that speak to the world about these areas. Al Raisi praised the initiative, describing it as excellent, noting that the Emirates News Agency received a directive from His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, to prepare unofficial speakers, and indeed 23 academics were trained and prepared as speakers in front of the media. Al Raisi believes that the initiative is an important tributary for preparing speakers in the media, whether on local or international screens. Al Raisi stressed that the UAE is now viewed as the country of the future, and many people want to find in their countries what they see in the Emirates. The UAE is a model that should be learned from, and this is a message that should be conveyed through personalities who are able to send it in an understandable way and in international languages.
quality initiative
Hamad Al-Kaabi, Editor-in-Chief of the Union, gave an intervention that began by thanking the attendees for participating in this initiative, noting that the “Trends” center has become accustomed to qualitative initiatives, and the global “Trends Experts” initiative comes to activate the role of many experts in our society that have qualifications in multiple areas, where there is a shortcoming From the Emirati speakers, especially with regard to participation in media platforms, which is not a shortcoming of knowledge. Al Kaabi added: There are many events that are taking place, and we find that speakers from Saudi Arabia and Egypt comment on them, and there are some grateful Emirati voices, but their number is few, especially since there are many areas that affect the state’s priorities in the economy, technology and others.
Al Kaabi pointed out that the country has achieved distinction in 153 global indicators in competitiveness reports. We need to export Emirati success stories through local and international media institutions. Al-Kaabi drew attention to the fact that some of the contributions that reach us for publication, their owners neglect to identify the target audience of this contribution, internally or externally. Al-Kaabi advises the need to enhance the credibility of media contributions by putting forward theories and providing references, and the media message must be supported by examples, studies and similar stories. Al-Kaabi spoke about the experience of “Al Ittihad” in cooperating with “Trends”, where the center’s research and studies can be used to present a media message characterized by high credibility.
Persuasion skills
Al Kaabi says: Some experts have sufficient knowledge, but they need to hone skills related to persuasion through the method of delivery and body language to ensure the delivery of the message and the continuity of communication between the speaker and the recipient, as media appearances are important to deliver the UAE message.
The word moved to Dr. Muhammad Al-Ali, who explained that the initiative has two parts: the first is a local Emirati and the other is global, and there is another stage for international experts to join.
Emirates message
The CEO of “Trends” opened the door for dialogue, which was initiated by the Emirati writer and researcher Mohammed Khalfan Al-Sawafi, stressing that the initiative fills a gap in highlighting the image of the UAE abroad. The word was transmitted to Juma Mubarak Al-Junaibi, a former ambassador and specialist in political affairs, who thanked “Trends” for launching the initiative, and called for setting up a work mechanism to achieve the desired goal. Al-Junaibi drew attention to the lack of participation of Emirati speakers in foreign conferences, saying: We are in There is an urgent need to present the UAE’s message abroad, especially on Middle Eastern issues, and the state has competencies capable of playing this role, and he called on the local media to communicate with these competencies.
Research Competencies
Dr. Muhammad Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of Trends, confirmed that this innovative initiative seeks to enrich the research community with an elite group of qualified competencies capable of dealing with various current issues of interest to the region and the world, and the initiative will focus in its first phase on enhancing the added value of the UAE’s research role in Zone files, and benefit from research expertise and competencies in its various work sites. Al-Ali indicated that the initiative seeks to enhance the global role of “Trends”, as an independent research institution, and this initiative comes as a continuation of the “Emirati Pens” and “Youth Trends Researchers”.
soft power
Dr. Saeed Al Shamsi, the former ambassador, gave an intervention in which he stressed that the experience of the son of the Emirates resulting from his work is better than the experience of the analyst coming from external parties.
Dr. Salah Khamis Al-Junaibi touched on WAM’s experience in the “Emirati Speaker” program, noting that he was one of the program’s trainees, and that he benefited from the clear methodology that should be taken care of. Khalfan Al Kaabi stressed the importance of talking about the UAE’s achievements without shyness.
The human rights expert, Dr. Muhammad Masoud Al-Ahbabi, pointed out the importance of benefiting from retirees in all sectors. Abdullah Al-Maleeh stressed that the UAE has a soft power, and its role is being strengthened in all fields, and scientific research needs axes and a clear plan to be based on in order to advance the citizen expert of whom we are proud. Muhammad Abdul Rahman Al-Azizi, a researcher in religious affairs, thanked “Trends” for the “important and long-awaited initiative.”
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