Baku, March 5, AZERTAC

The Sharjah Executive Council is all set to meet with HE Alexander Stubb, the former Prime Minister of Finland and Member of Parliament, during a workshop organised by the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB), as part of preparations for the 6th edition of the International Government Communication Forum (IGCF) being held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, from March 22 to 23 at the Expo Centre Sharjah.

In line with the theme of the upcoming 6th edition of IGCF, “Societal Participation…Comprehensive Development”, the special session will discuss the challenges facing the international community as well as exchange views, experiences and best practices with the aim of achieving the United Nations’ 2030 agenda for sustainable development.

Tariq Saeed Allay, Director of Sharjah Government Media Bureau said: “In Sharjah as well as across the UAE and around the world, governments have been increasingly creating frameworks and policies to promote sustainable development. The upcoming IGCF will strengthen these international efforts by bringing together local and global leaders and experts in order to learn from past experiences and adopt best practices. In particular, the IGCF will focus on the critical role that effective government communication can play in achieving these goals.”

The former Prime Minister of Finland will discuss his experiences as member of Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development (FNCSD) which oversees the country’s national and international sustainable development goals while particularly focusing on engaging society to participate actively in the process.

Allay added that Finland is working to encourage individuals to play their role in achieving the 2030 agenda, an approach that the UAE has also adopted.

“Governments need to engage citizens to reach the 17 UN development goals, and the best way to do this is through effective government communication. The workshop with the Executive Council of Sharjah and Mr. Stubb, is an example of how nations around the world can come together to achieve ambitious goals,” he said.

The sixth edition of IGCF later this month will see the attendance of more than 2,500 local, regional and international leaders and media experts from 16 countries.