POLITICS
News Agencies World Council convenes in London
London, November 17, Anar Rzayev, AZERTAC
Organized by Press Association, a meeting of the News Agencies World Council (NACO) has been held in London, UK.
The meeting discussed preparations for and organizational issues relating to the 6th News Agencies World Congress to be held in Sofia, Bulgaria, next year.
Heads and representatives of news agencies, including Azerbaijan State News Agency AZERTAC, UK’s Press Association, US’ Associated Press, Germany’s DPA, Russia’s TASS, Spain’s EFE, Kuwait’s KUNA, Bulgaria’s BTA, Romania’s AGERPRES, as well as representatives of the Federation of Arab News Agencies (FANA) and the European Alliance of News Agencies (EANA) attended the event.
AZERTAC’s former head of international relations department, student of City, University of London Anar Rzayev represented the agency at the event.
The NACO members decided that official letters of invitation to the 6th News Agencies World Congress will be sent from the beginning of next year on behalf of the president of the News Agencies World Congress, Chairman of the Board of AZERTAC Aslan Aslanov, Director General of Bulgaria’s BTA agency, Secretary General of the Congress Maxim Minchev, and president of the News Agencies World Council, PA Group CEO Clive Marshall.
The meeting also reviewed the issue of AZERTAC’s handing over the Congress’ website to the Bulgarian BTA agency next January.
The NACO approved that the Congress will be held in Sofia on June 13-14, while cultural events will be held in Plovdiv.
The proposals on the strengthening of relations among the Congress members put forward by Clive Marshall, Maxim Minchev and Farid Ayar aroused interest among the meeting participants.
First Deputy Director General of the Russian news agency TASS Mikhail Gusman hailed the importance of breakout sessions which were recently held in Baku and St. Petersburg, saying inclusion of the fake news problem in the list of topics to be discussed at the Congress is of vital significance.
The NACO approved Congress’ four breakout sessions to be held under the mottoes "New sources of income", "Fake news", "Artificial Intelligence", and "Diversification" which will be moderated by four persons.
The Council members decided to hold the next planning meeting prior to the News Agencies World Congress on March 7, 2019 in Sofia.
The 5th News Agencies World Congress, which is now chaired by AZERTAC, was held on November 16-17 in Baku.