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The 2022 International Media Seminar on Peace in The Middle East was held from 3-4 November at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland.

This event, hosted by the Department of Global Communications (DGC), brought together journalists, media experts, think tanks, diplomats and members of academia from Israel, the State of Palestine, the wider Middle East region, Europe, the United States and other parts of the world, to discuss media related issues and trends connected to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The event also strived to sensitize public opinion to the question of Palestine and promote a peaceful settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Participants discussed a variety of media-related issues and trends connected to the Israel-Palestine conflict, including:

Panel 1: Honoring the legacy of Shireen Abu Akleh: Protecting journalists covering the conflict Panel 2: Forgotten stories in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: how political news eclipses coverage of economic challenges Panel 3: Young journalists: opportunities and challenges

The Swiss Envoy for the Middle East and North Africa, Ambassador Wolfgang Amadeus Brülhart, opened the seminar, along with the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, Ms. Melissa Fleming. Ms. Fleming, who also moderated the first panel discussion and read out a message of the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, addressed to the seminar participants.

Official hashtag: #UNMediaSeminar

Seminar Programme | Participant Bios | Curtain Raiser 

UN Web TV: 

Opening Session & Panel 1 |  Honoring the legacy of Shireen Abu Akleh: Protecting journalists covering the conflict

Panel 2 | Forgotten stories in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: how political news eclipses coverage of economic challenges

Panel 3 & Closing Session | Young journalists: opportunities and challenges

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THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

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MESSAGE TO UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SEMINAR ON PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Geneva, 3 November 2022

I am pleased to greet the 2022 United Nations International Media Seminar on Peace in the Middle East.

For over three decades, this gathering has served as an important space for fostering dialogue and deepening understanding for peace.

Today, we face an extremely challenging environment of growing violence, escalating tensions, and numerous civilian deaths.

Among those recently killed was veteran Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, whose death was mourned by millions around the world.

I was appalled by her killing and reiterate my call for an independent and transparent investigation for effective accountability.

All attacks against journalists must end. Media workers must be able to carry out their vital work freely and without harassment, intimidation, or the fear of being targeted.

As we look forward, we must never give up hope.

However steep the path may seem today – we must pursue every avenue to revitalize the peace process.

There is no credible alternative to a two-State solution with Israel and Palestine living side-by-side in peace and security, based on the 1967 borders, and with Jerusalem as the capital of both states.

Your work is also a critical pillar for peace and a reminder of the pivotal role of free and independent media.

Your actions and determination demonstrate the power of words over weapons and help keep hope alive at a time when we need it more than ever.

I thank you and wish you a successful seminar.

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Opening remarks by H.E. Mr. Cheikh Niang Chair of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People and Permanent Representative of Senegal to the United Nations

2022 International Media Seminar on Peace in the Middle East 

3-4 November 2022, Geneva

Excellencies, Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, 

Let me start by commending the Department of Global Communications for organizing this year's International Media Seminar on Peace in the Middle East. 

In May this year, the world watched in shock as global news networks showed footage from the funeral of Shireen Abu Akleh, Al-Jazeera's veteran correspondent. The killing of Shireen was not only an outrageous act but an attack on the freedom of the media and the independence of journalists, who play a crucial role in reporting conflicts, seeking truth, and telling the stories of victims. 

Journalists must be protected to carry out their work and media freedom should be defended. As legacy media and social media technologies advance, so too must our communication strategies to responsibly and effectively harness their power. 

The Committee has a mandate from the UN General Assembly to raise awareness and advocate for a solution to the question of Palestine. Through outreach efforts with the Member States, including members of the Middle East Quartet and the Security Council, the Committee advocates for the implementation of the international consensus based on two States, Israel and Palestine, living sideby-side in peace and security within the 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as the Palestinian capital.

The Committee faces many challenges, including that of countering misinformation on the question of Palestine. Working with media professionals is an integral element of our work because the media’s accurate and reliable reporting keeps us abreast of developments and informs our decisions. 

Let me mention just a few of the outreach strategies utilized by our Committee to implement its mandate. We manage the United Nations Information System on the Question of Palestine (UNISPAL), which is the world's largest online repository of documents on the question of Palestine from 1917 to the present. The website has received over 2.6 million pageviews since 2020. The collection contains over 40,000 current and historical United Nations documents on the question of Palestine and the search for peace, with growing content in all official UN languages. I invite you to utilize this unique resource in your research and reporting. 

The Committee's social media include Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and a YouTube channels through which we disseminate information and reach target audiences across the globe. Our high-profile virtual events this year discussed crucial issues such as apartheid and international law, the impact of Israeli settlements on Palestinian rights, Palestinian youth in East Jerusalem, and the effects of forced displacement on Palestinian women. All these activities were livecast on UNTV and social media, and can be accessed on our website. We implemented a three-month advocacy campaign to mobilize diplomatic, donor, and public support for UNRWA, raising awareness about the Agency’s crucial work. 

The Committee's secretariat, the Division for Palestinian Rights, prepares and disseminates periodic publications, including quarterly newsletters, monthly bulletins, weekly NGO Action News , annual compilations of all UN resolutions and reports issued by UN entities on the question of Palestine. We also cooperate with civil society, organize the annual observance of the International Day of  Solidarity with the Palestinian People, and use social media platforms to advocate for a just solution to the conflict. I would like to invite you to join our mailing list, follow us on Twitter and to visit our webpage regularly (un.org/UNISPAL)

Despite our collective efforts, there is barely adequate coverage of the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory in international media. Attention keeps shifting to other conflicts or only to some aspects of the conflict, ignoring the efforts of millions of Palestinians to live a life of dignity. The COVID-19 pandemic overshadowed the grave violations of human rights occurring daily in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, UNRWA's severe funding crisis, and the need for sustainable and inclusive economic recovery that improves the livelihoods of all Palestinians.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Modern technology has profoundly impacted how we communicate. It has allowed us to maintain closer contact with our constituencies and cultivate relationships with new audiences. More than at any other moment in our history, credible and innovative young journalists have the best possible tools available to analyze events and report on them to broad audiences.

Simultaneously, a ferocious battle is waged across various social media platforms over what is known as "fake news" or "hate speech." The mix of digital technology, unscrupulous politics, stifling of dissent, and commercial exploitation of new communications platforms highlights the need for revised communications strategies and ethics framework to rebuild public trust in journalism and media. We also need more effective communicators, skilled at crafting clear and concise messages which resonate with domestic and international audiences.

The provision of accurate information about a conflict is a priority, and maintaining a culture of professional journalism is crucial. For this reason, on 25- 26 July 2022, the Committee organized a two-day Communication Strategy  Workshop for media and PR officials of the Government of the State of Palestine. The workshop taught topics such as strategic thinking, understanding the audience, developing key messages, and delivering meaningful communications with target audiences, including how to interact with the media.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The Committee advocates for a resolution of the question of Palestine based on an end to the Israeli occupation and a two-State solution. The Committee will remain a reliable partner of the media – including you - in the pursuit of the full realization of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including self-determination and independence.

What we want for the Palestinian people is exactly what we want for any of our own people – a life of peace, justice, and dignity. I look forward to the support of the media in this endeavor and wish the seminar all success. 

Thank you. 

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Day One | Opening Session 

Ms. Melissa Fleming, Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, United Nations

H.E. Ambassador Wolfgang Amadeus Brülhart, Swiss Envoy for the Middle East and North Africa

Messages: 

H.E. Mr. António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations 

H.E. Mr. Cheikh Niang, Permanent Representative of Senegal to the United Nations, Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People

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Day One | Panel 1 

Honoring the legacy of Shireen Abu Akleh: Protecting journalists covering the conflict

Moderator: Ms. Melissa Fleming, Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, United Nations 

Mr. Gideon Levy, Columnist and member of the editorial board, Haaretz

H.E. Dr. Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations 

Mr. Denis Masmejan, Secretary General of Reporters Without Borders, Switzerland

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Day One | Panel 2 

Forgotten stories in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: how political news eclipses coverage of economic challenges 

Moderator: Ms. Nanette Braun, Chief, Communication Campaigns Service, Campaigns and Country Operations Division, UN Department of Global Communications

Professor Edmund Gharib, Professor, American University

Ms. Dalia Hatuqa, Multimedia journalist specializing in Israeli/Palestinian affairs

Mr. David Rosenberg, Business editor, Haaretz

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Day Two | Panel 3 

Moderator: Ms. Alessandra Vellucci, Director, United Nations Information Service in Geneva

Mr. Ali Ghaith, Communications Analyst, United Nations Development Programme, Programme of Assistance to the Palestinian People

Mr. Montaser Marai, Manager, Media Initiatives, Media Initiatives Department Aljazeera Media Institute

Ms. Pnina Pfeuffer, Journalist, +972

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The 2021 International Media Seminar on Peace in The Middle East will be held virtually from 16-17 November. 

This event, hosted by the Department of Global Communications (DGC), will bring together diplomats, journalists, media experts and youth representatives from Israel, Palestine, Europe, United States and other parts of the world.

Participants will discuss a variety of media-related issues and trends connected to the Israel-Palestine conflict, including:

Panel 1: The 30th Anniversary of Madrid Peace Conference: Can hope prevail Panel 2: Solutions journalism in the coverage of the Israel-Palestine conflict

The two-day event was hosted via UN WebTV on http://webtv.un.org/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/unitednations Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNWebTV/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/unwebtv

Official hashtag: #UNMediaSeminar

For questions to panellists (before or during the event): please tweet/post to the seminar’s hashtag #UNMediaSeminar

Seminar Programme | Participants’ Biographies

UN Meetings Coverage:

UN Press Release: Department of Global Communications Hosts Virtual  2021 United Nations International Media Seminar on Peace in Middle East to be held 16-17 November

Secretary-General Message [SG/SM/21026]: Amid Setbacks in Middle East Peace Process, Secretary-General Cites Crucial Role of Media, Telling International Seminar ‘We Cannot Lose Hope’

Day One: Panellists Stress Need to Revitalize Peace Process, as International Media Seminar on Middle East Peace Begins

Day Two: Solutions Journalism’ Offers Press More Constructive Role in Covering Conflict, Panellists Say as International Media Seminar on Middle East Peace Concludes

Opening remarks by H.E. Mr. Cheikh Niang Permanent Representative of Senegal to the United Nations Chair of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People

United Nations News | ‘We cannot lose hope’, UN chief tells media seminar on peace in the Middle East

UN Arabic News Story | Opening & Panel 1 [16 November]

UN Arabic News Story | Solutions Journalism panel [17 November]

UN Web TV: 

Video Message | António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, International Media Seminar on Peace in The Middle East 2021

Opening Session & Panel 1 |  The 30th Anniversary of Madrid Peace Conference: Can hope prevail

Panel II | Solutions journalism in the coverage of the Israel-Palestine conflict

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Day One | Panel 1 

The 30th Anniversary of Madrid Peace Conference: Can hope prevail?

Moderator: Ms. Melissa Fleming, Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, United Nations  

Dr. Yossi Beilin, Former Minister, Former Knesset Member, and President and Founder, Beilink

Ambassador Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations 

Dr. Grace Wermenbol, Non-Resident Scholar, The Middle East Institute

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Day two | Panel 2

Solutions journalism in the coverage of the Israel-Palestine conflict

Moderator: Ms. Nanette Braun, Chief, Communications Campaigns Service, Strategic Communications Division, Department of Global Communications, United Nations

Ms. Dina Aboughazala, Founder, Egab, and Former Senior Journalist, BBC Monitoring

Mr. Daoud Kuttab, Director General, Community Media Network

Ms. Eetta Prince-Gibson, Former Editor-in-Chief, The Jerusalem Report

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The 2020 International Media Seminar on Peace in the Middle East will be held virtually from 8-9 December. 

This event, hosted by the Department of Global Communications (DGC), will bring together diplomats, journalists, media experts and youth representatives from Israel, Palestine, Europe, United States and other parts of the world.

Participants will discuss a variety of media-related issues and trends connected to the Israel-Palestine conflict, including:

Panel 1: The Israel-Palestine conflict and challenges of the new decade Panel 2: A tale of two narratives: misinformation and disinformation

The two-day event will be hosted via UN WebTV on http://webtv.un.org/

Official hashtag: #UNMediaSeminar

For questions to panellists (before or during the event): please tweet/post to the seminar’s hashtag #UNMediaSeminar

Seminar Programme | Contributing Participants

UN Meetings Coverage:

UN Press Release:  Department of Global Communications Hosts Virtual 2020 United Nations International Media Seminar on Peace in Middle East, 8–9 December

UN Press Release: Two-State Solution is Only Path for Palestinians, Israelis to Live in Peace, Secretary-General Tells International Media Seminar

Day One: Prospects for Peace between Israelis, Palestinians Remain Remote as Ever, Secretary‑General Stresses, as International Media Seminar Opens 

Day Two: Panellists Explore Changing News Coverage of Israel-Palestine Conflict amid Spread of Untruths, as International Media Seminar Concludes

UN Arabic News Story

UN Web TV: 

Melissa Fleming, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, reads message on behalf of António Guterres, UN Secretary-General, on International Media Seminar on Peace in the Middle East. [8 December 2020]

Opening session & Panel I | The Israel-Palestine conflict and challenges of the new decade

Panel II | A tale of two narratives: misinformation and disinformation

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THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

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MESSAGE TO UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SEMINAR ON PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST

8 December 2020

It is my pleasure to greet participants of the 2020 United Nations International Media Seminar on Peace in the Middle East.  Twenty-nine years ago, this annual event was born to help promote peace and understanding between Israelis and Palestinians. Unfortunately, the possibility of that peace seems as remote as ever.

This seminar occurs just a few days after the commemoration of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, marking the adoption by the United Nations General Assembly of a resolution that called for the creation of two States.

I understand the deep sense of despair of the Palestinian people. The dreams of generation after generation have been dimmed by conflict and more than half a century of occupation. I also recognize the legitimate concerns of the Israeli people and their aspirations to live in peace and security.

The position of the United Nations is defined by resolutions of the Security Council and General Assembly as well as international law and bilateral agreements. The two-State solution remains the only path to ensuring that Palestinians and Israelis can both realize their legitimate aspirations, living side-by-side in peace and security, based on the 1967 borders, and with Jerusalem as the capital of both states.

I will continue to speak out against any effort that undermines peace and moves the parties further away from constructive negotiations. I urge Israeli and Palestinian leaders to resume a meaningful dialogue, and I welcome all international initiatives which could help advance a just and comprehensive peace between the two peoples.

I wish you a successful seminar.

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Opening remarks by H.E. Mr. Cheikh Niang, Permanent Representative of Senegal to the United Nations and Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People

2020 International Media Seminar on Peace in the Middle East

8 December 2020

Excellencies,  

Mr. Secretary-General,  

Madam Under Secretary-General,  

Dear Colleagues,

At the outset, on behalf of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, I would like to commend the Department of Global Communications for organizing this year’s panels on the “Israel-Palestine conflict and challenges of the new decade” (on 8 December), and - “A tale of two narratives: misinformation and disinformation” (on 9 December).

         Through its General Assembly mandated advocacy and awareness raising work on the Question of Palestine, our Committee disseminates and shares information with partners and the public at large using various tools. The Committee’s social media presence includes Twitter @UNISPAL, the Facebook page of the Committee @UN.palestinianrights, Instagram, and its YouTube channel. Its website at www.un.org/unispal, contains all information on our Committee’s activities and also hosts the UN Information System on the question of Palestine”- the world’s largest online repository of UN documents on the Question of Palestine which features over 36,000 documents.

In the course of delivering on its mandate, the Committee faces many challenges, including that of countering disinformation on the question of Palestine. For this reason, we see working together with media as an integral and important element of the Committee’s work.

The year 2020 will be remembered as one in which humanity faced a common enemy: the coronavirus pandemic which has changed our way of life, including how we communicate and interact with each other.  It has affected some far more than others and especially the Palestinian people.  

         The burden of endless occupation and an increasingly fragile economy has pushed to the brink the public health system in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. These are times when the Palestinian people need not only expressions of solidarity, but also our empathetic action.

And yet, we find that there is barely adequate coverage of the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory in the international media.  Media attention in recent years has been diverted to other conflicts in the region or has tended to focus on some aspects of the conflict, ignoring the peaceful efforts of millions of Palestinians to live a life of dignity.  We are also seeing incessant efforts to distract the media from the fact that the only route to peace in the Middle East is through peaceful resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

         The responsibility of the media is not limited to raising awareness and informing public opinion. The media also plays a critical role in documenting history in progress. As we stand at the threshold of a new decade, I urge all participants here from the media to reflect if they are documenting history objectively or are buying into disinformation on the question of Palestine.

Dear colleagues,

I urge you in the media fraternity to seriously consider how history will judge our generation if we were to wrong the Palestinian people twice over – first by standing aside while their rights are denied, and then by misreporting or not reporting what is happening. This would be tantamount to a miscarriage of justice.

         We all have a duty to recommit ourselves to reporting truth, and to speak truth to power. And the truth is that General Assembly resolution 181 (ii) of 1947 called for carving two States out of mandate Palestine.  Yet, more than 73 years later, one of the States – the Palestinian State, is yet to be established. The truth is that since 1967, millions of Palestinians have found themselves living under siege on their own land or as refugees unable to return home.  They are constantly facing violations of their human rights, confiscation of their land and property, and constant affronts to their dignity.  International law is clear on the fact that the occupation and settlement by Israel of Palestinian land is illegal and that it must end. We urge colleagues in the media to never lose sight of these truths.

I sometimes hear friends in the media say that there are always two sides to a story. I could not agree more. The occupation has extracted a heavy social and economic price on Israeli citizens too.  This is yet another reason why the untenable situation in Israel and Palestine must end. The illegal blockade on Gaza, now entering its 13th year, is neither legally sustainable nor morally justifiable. The unrestrained plans for settlement expansion and construction amount to blatant disregard for international opinion by Israel as the occupying Power. Hence, it is time for us to recognize that the time for finger-pointing has passed.  It is incumbent on all of us to not let international readers and viewers lose sight of what is happening in Palestine, to report accurately what is taking place, and ensure a truthful historical account.

         The President of the State of Palestine has called for an international peace conference in 2021 to resolve the question of Palestine. The Committee fully supports this proposal. We would vastly appreciate your efforts to positively highlight the ongoing attempts to encourage the parties to reach a just and lasting solution to the question of Palestine, including by holding of the conference.  

The road ahead is not easy. What we want for the Palestinian people is exactly what we want for any our own people – a life of peace, justice and dignity. I look forward to the support of media in this endeavor and wish the seminar all success.

Thank you.  

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Day One | Panel 1 

The Israel-Palestine conflict and challenges of the new decade 

Moderator: Ms. Melissa Fleming, Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, United Nations   

Rabbi Michael Melchior, President of Mosaica - Middle East Religious Peace Initiative, Former Member of the Knesset and Cabinet Minister of Israel

Ms. Nour Odeh, Founder and CEO, Connect Strategic Communications Consultancy, Former Director of the Palestinian Media Centre and Spokesperson of the Palestinian Authority

Dr. Grace Wermenbol, Non-Resident Scholar, Middle East Institute

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Day Two | Panel II

A tale of two narratives: misinformation and disinformation 

Moderator: Ms. Nanette Braun, Chief, Communications Campaigns Service, Strategic Communications Division, Department of Global Communications, United Nations

Mr. Walid Batrawi, Media and Communications Expert

Ms. Allyn Fisher-Ilan, Editor with Haaretz, Former Correspondent at Reuters and The Associated Press

Dr. Julie Posetti, Global Director of Research, International Center for Journalists

Professor Damian Radcliffe, Carolyn S. Chambers Professor in Journalism, affiliate faculty Department for Middle East and North Africa Studies, University of Oregon

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2019 International Media Seminar on Peace in the Middle East will take place in Ankara, Turkey from 11-12 September. 

This event is being organized by the United Nations Department of Global Communications in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey. 

The event will bring together diplomats, journalists, media experts and youth representatives from Israel, Palestine, Turkey, Europe, United States and other parts of the world.

International participants will discuss a variety of media-related issues and trends connected to the Israel-Palestine conflict, including:

Panel 1: The humanitarian crisis in the Occupied Palestinian Territory Panel 2: Ongoing challenges for media reporting on the situation in Gaza Panel 3: Women of the conflict: Are their stories being reported? Panel 4: The hashtag activism phenomenon in the Israel-Palestine conflict

Seminar Programme | Contributing Participants 

WEBCAST [will go LIVE on 11 Sept at 10:00 AM local time in Turkey]

Day 1 Press Release | International Media Seminar Opens with Exploration of Challenges, Opportunities for Journalists Telling Human Stories from Occupied Palestinian Territory

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THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

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MESSAGE TO UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SEMINAR ON PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Ankara, 11 September 2019

I am pleased to greet the 2019 United Nations International Media Seminar on Peace in the Middle East.

I am grateful to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey for hosting this event and for its generous support.

Our goal of achieving a peaceful and just solution of the Palestinian question remains elusive.

As I have repeatedly said, this can only be achieved through realization of the vision of two States, Israel and Palestine, living side-by-side in peace and security.

Unfortunately, over the past year, we have only moved farther away from that objective as the situation has deteriorated. Palestinians and Israelis continue to suffer from deadly cycles of violence. 

The ongoing political, economic and humanitarian crisis in the Occupied Palestinian Territory has reached alarming proportions.

The situation in Gaza is of special concern as approximately two million Palestinians remain under severe movement and access restrictions, mired in increasing poverty and unemployment, with limited access to adequate health, education, water and electricity. 

The international community must act with speed and determination to address Palestine’s urgent economic and humanitarian needs.

Yet no amount of humanitarian or economic support will resolve the conflict.

The United Nations remains committed to supporting Palestinians and Israelis to end the conflict on the basis of international law, relevant UN resolutions and previous agreements.

I count on your support and engagement in making peace in the Middle East a reality.

I wish you a successful seminar.