THE BANGSAMORO Information Office (BIO) set the 1st Bangsamoro Information and Media Summit to recognize the role of communicators in promoting peace toward nation-building in the region.
BIO executive director Ameen Andrew Alonto said the summit aims to build partnerships with media stakeholders, featuring collective efforts of the Bangsamoro government and the information and media sector.
“This summit holds great significance, not just for the Bangsamoro region but for the entire nation and that is why I’m grateful that our partners from the national government are here today to witness our collective commitment to promoting peace, development, and unity in a region that has struggled for so long,” Alonto said during the opening program at the SMX Convention Center Davao on Oct. 17.
Alonto emphasized that communicators play an integral role in sustaining peace gains. “For as long as there are those who continue to oppress the weak and the marginalized, it is our role to amplify the voice of peace and solidarity,” he added.
Bangsamoro Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim recognized the collective efforts of the sector to ensure that narratives of the region are “not only heard but understood and celebrated.”
“The narratives we tell are the hopes we shape, and the voices we amplify will play a crucial role in the continued success of the Bangsamoro peace process,” Ebrahim said.
“Let us work hand in hand to make a positive impact to nurture the dividends of the peace process, and to amplify the voices that will lead us towards a brighter, more peaceful Bangsamoro,” he added.
The summit advocates responsible journalism in conflict resolution and negotiations in line with Proclamation No. 308 signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declaring October as Communications Month.
The summit also aligns with the 11th priority: “peace, justice and security,” in Ebrahim’s Enhanced 12-Point Priority Agenda for 2023-2025.
The three-day summit from October 17-21 will also tackle issues from the Bangsamoro Electoral Code, and Bangsamoro in Transition, along with workshops on the role of information officers in moral governance, media literacy, and fact-checking.
Photo courtesy of Bangsamo Information Office
