SHUSHA, AZERBAIJAN — The second edition of the World Media Forum began on Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Shusha, Azerbaijan, attracting over 150 participants from around the globe to tackle the theme of combating disinformation. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev opened the forum, which is scheduled to run through July 22.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the forum’s discussions will center on ‘Demystifying false information: fighting disinformation’, with contributions from press agencies from about thirty countries, three international organizations, and 82 media organizations. President Aliyev used the platform to address a variety of topics, emphasizing the ongoing geopolitical transformations in the South Caucasus and the broader regional implications of Azerbaijan’s restored territorial integrity.
The forum comes at a critical time, highlighted by strained Azerbaijani-Armenian relations following recent failed peace talks. President Aliyev expressed his disappointment, particularly after Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan declined a proposed meeting in Britain, orchestrated by the British government. “If the Armenian Prime Minister does not want to talk to me, what peace agreement can we talk about,” Aliyev remarked during a session with journalists.
President Aliyev also discussed Azerbaijan’s upcoming role as the host of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) this November. He underscored the importance of the event, which marks the first time such a conference will be held in the post-Soviet region, emphasizing Azerbaijan’s commitment to bridging developmental gaps between the global north and south.
The forum will feature four roundtable discussions covering the impact and management of disinformation, the role of artificial intelligence in media, and strategies to foster a media-savvy society. These discussions are set to include inputs from a diverse group of stakeholders, including civil society leaders, government representatives, and media experts.
Additionally, the sessions will explore the ongoing preparations for COP29 and efforts to rebuild Azerbaijani territories recently reclaimed. This forum follows the inaugural Choucha World Media Forum, which focused on the role of media in the fourth industrial revolution and took place from July 21 to 23 of the previous year.