ISLAMABAD: Speakers at the concluding session of the two-day Media conference, held here on Saturday, called for an active media-academia partnership to promote human values, and to address the societal issues.
The conference was arranged by the Department of Mass Communication, Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) to discuss and evaluate the post-modern challenges and prospects.
Those who addressed the conclusive session included eminent columnists Dr. Mujahid Mansoori and Wajhat Masood. The AIOU Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Shahid Siddiqui was also present at the conference.
Renowned writer Dr. Fateha Muhammad Malik presided over the session.
During nine-working sessions of the conference seventy-two research papers were presented that dealt with various topics of mass communication.
The speakers, while elaborating the social responsibilities of the media practitioners, underlined the need of putting greater focus on promoting social and cultural values for building a peaceful and prosperous society.
Dr. Shahid Siddiqui urged the journalists to raise their voice for empowering the marginalized sections of the society. He said that media should address the ground realities, keeping in view the cultural and social needs of the society.
The arranged conference was a the part of series of activities being arranged by the University on regular basis aimed to highlight the importance of media in educating the people.
The participants from various parts of the country appreciated the Vice Chancellor for developing the AIOU as a vibrant educational institution, and efficiently providing academic and literary support to its 1.3 million students across the country.
Dr. Shahid Siddiqui on the occasion also briefed the participants about the AIOU’s achievements in developing the University as the country’s role-model learning institution and a hub and literary and cultural activities, as well as its contribution in promoting research culture in the country.
The University, he said fulfills its duties, creating, constructing and disseminating knowledge through publication of research journals and the holding of national and international conferences.
According to the chairman, Department of Mass Communication Dr. Saqib Riaz, the conference’s deliberations were highly productive in comprehending the needs of the post-modern times. It was provided an active platform to young researchers to learn from their seniors in their future academic plans.
