Academy will train media employees and content makers and refine their skills RIYADH: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation recently took part in the opening ceremony of the media training academy of the OIC States Broadcasting Union in Jeddah. The ceremony was attended by OIC Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha, Khalid Al-Ghamdi, undersecretary of foreign media at the Saudi Ministry of Media, and a number of media ministers and delegates of OIC member states. Amr Al-Laithi, chairman of the union, said that the academy will train media employees and content makers, and refine their skills in light of the challenges posed by the new media to OIC member states. “The union will work to enhance the capabilities and skills of the media professionals of the OIC member states through the various training programs that will be made available through technological mechanisms and through the collaboration of media academic entities,” Al-Laithi added. Wajdi Sindi, director of the information department at the OIC, described the inauguration of the OSBU academy as an “important step” within the union’s plan to develop its work. Sindi added: “It comes within the framework of the strategic plan for the development of the union, which was previously approved during the meetings of the executive council and the general assembly, with the aim of providing a work environment that stimulates creativity in media work.” He said that the OIC hopes that the OSBU academy, which includes classrooms, a television and radio studio, will contribute to the rehabilitation of media professionals and develop their radio, television and journalistic skills, enabling the union to intensify media cooperation partnerships with member states and their media institutions, especially in the less developed countries. Sindi hailed Saudi Arabia’s role in hosting and supporting the OSBU headquarters and other institutions operating within the framework of the OIC, expressing confidence in the Kingdom’s ability to strengthen Islamic solidarity in various fields of broadcasting through the work of the academy. “‎‎Several cooperation agreements have been concluded with similar unions, such as the Arab States Broadcasting Union, the Asian, African, and European Broadcasting Unions, and a number of academic and professional entities, as reliance on virtual reality has become a necessity, which will require intensifying training for all media professionals ‎and employees of member states through our media platform on the website, in addition to the YouTube channel of the OIC States Broadcasting Union‎,” Al-Laithi said. The first training course in the OSBU media training academy ‎started last week under the title of “New Electronic Media.” It explores the concept of electronic media, electronic media theory and electronic media properties.