Open Forum in Porcess to host National Advocacy Conference on “MEDIA & Social DEVELOPMENT” in July 2009.

Each country should be encouraged to earmark resources for promoting social integration through the Media Platforms available for the development of Society and to promote the principle of Media and Social Development. Consideration should also be given to other principles of social development including the promotion among the indicators of social development. Media could, for example, be encouraged to report efforts to foster tolerance, understanding and appreciation of other cultures, equality of the sexes, the concept of one human family, and service to the community, the nation and the world. The media sector — broadly defined — could become the dominant industry, since no other sector or industry will so powerfully influence how people and politicians think about Social Development, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainable development (SD) priorities.
                           
Open Forum has identified research on social development as a priority area of study so that the knowledge and understanding of social development issues can lead to better informed decision-making and formulation of more realistic social policies. Thus Open Forum’s spheres of research expertise in the broad area of social development include Public Health, Poverty, Rural and Urban Development, Women and Child Development, Education, Labour, Social Welfare, Social Security, Social Safety Net, Housing and Social Justice Issues. Social dimensions of development projects and their impact on tribal and rural populations, employment and environment are other areas of concern.

Open Forum believes that research findings on issues of national concern should be disseminated to all concerned for their effective use. Open Forum achieves this objective by organizing national advocacy conferences/seminars, raising debates and discussions, publishing periodicals and newsletters and research findings and by providing technical inputs through policy makers on issues of national concern. The forthcoming conference on Media & Social Development will discuss the issues related with Emerging Trends in Mass Media for Social Development, which has been widely appreciated.

The media have both a powerful influence on people's attitudes and perceptions and a weighty responsibility to contribute to social integration. Currently, a great deal of media attention is focused on the seemingly insurmountable differences that divide peoples and nations, and little attention is given to evidence that these differences can be overcome. A serious, global discourse must be undertaken to explore the use of existing and rapidly emerging media technologies to foster hope and promote social integration and development. The media have a responsibility to help people understand that diversity, often a source of conflict, can also be a powerful resource for social development. An important beginning would be to eliminate stereotyping based on religion, culture, gender, race, class, nationality and ethnicity from media programming. Then by focusing on constructive, unifying and cooperative undertakings, the media could demonstrate humanity's capacity to work together to meet the enormous challenges facing it.

Open Forum is planning to organize a National Advocacy Conference on “MEDIA & Social DEVELOPMENT” in the month of July 2009 at New Delhi. Themes for discussion at this Conference included some of the important subject matter which is not only interesting but are prominent facts related with Media & Social Development. Some of the Major Issues covered at this conference are as follows:
1. Communication for Development: Making the Case
2. Redefining Development Journalism
3. Using comics for development communication
4. Media and NGOs: a coalition is needed
5. What does the rural newspaper revolution achieve?
6. Why development coverage fails to have impact
7. What Do Newspapers Mean To A Village?
8. NGOs and the Local Press
9. Giving grassroots activism a voice

We understand that nothing is possible without the voice of communities, so we take this opportunity to invite your suggestions and ideas for this forthcoming National Advocacy Conference. The team is also preparing a panel of speakers, personalities from respective domain of society working in Social Development Sector, Media House, Diplomatic Missions in India, Journalists, Researchers, NGOs and Grassroots Organizations. We also invite your suggestions for a list of speakers, whom you think, can add value to the Conference…

After the conference Open Forum will look upon for active association with concerned bodies from Media and Social Development Sector etc. for ensuring follow-up. As desired Open Forum, seeks enormous intellectual support from various Media and Civil Society Organizations for drafting a report and prepare a Media Responsibility for the Media Houses to compulsorily cover and highlight Social Development Issues.