Dubai: “The Gulf”

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, may God protect him, directed the allocation of a fund worth 150 million dirhams to support content creators, and the establishment of a permanent headquarters for influencers that works to support their skills and abilities throughout the year.

This came during the two-day “Billion Followers Summit” activities, organized by the New Media Academy, in Dubai, which witnessed the graduation of 90 content makers from the “Specialized Content Creators” and “Content Knight” programs in its fourth batch.

Inspiring stories

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid said: The media is an honest mirror of the conditions of countries, the pulse of their societies, and the aspirations of their people. His Highness pointed out the importance of keeping pace with the developments the world is witnessing in knowledge, science and technology, and the rapid changes in the concept of the media and its tools, and consolidating its role as a never-sleeping eye in the world. The field of work and a responsible platform for reviewing the national civilizational achievement and negotiating reality transparently.

His Highness stressed the importance of the role of content creation in conveying the story of the Emirates to the world, introducing the customs and traditions of its people, the cultural achievements of our country, the imprints of its new generations in the fields of creativity and innovation, and the ability to transform ideas into realistic projects that contribute to the advancement of human civilization.

His Highness added: “We directed the allocation of a fund worth 150 million dirhams to support content creators and achieve a qualitative shift in the digital media sector. We also directed the establishment of a permanent headquarters for influencers that works to support their skills and abilities throughout the year. We continue to invest in creative talents and enable them to write new inspiring stories.” It is added to the balance of our country and its influential media presence in the world.. The real media is the mouthpiece of the present and the future.”

His Highness said on the “X” platform: “The UAE hosted 3,000 content creators followed by more than 1.8 billion followers from 95 countries around the world in one of the largest global gatherings of content makers… We welcome them to the Emirates… and we tell them that content creation is a responsibility… and content creation Science… and content creation is the future of media… We also announced support for content makers with a fund worth 150 million dirhams and the establishment of a permanent headquarters for them to develop their skills and capabilities and bring them to global levels.”

Exceptional opportunities

Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, said: “Establishing a permanent headquarters for influencers translates the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, in providing all means of support to content creators and those with talent, initiatives and innovative ideas, and strengthening the digital content industry sector and driving its growth opportunities.”

He stressed that the Content Creators Support Fund contributes to providing exceptional opportunities to empower them, enhance their potential, and grow their businesses and projects, thus enhancing their role in conveying the message and achievements of the UAE to countries around the world, and consolidating the country’s position as a global capital for the digital content industry, pointing to the UAE’s continued keenness to support and develop media. In its various sectors.

The establishment of the permanent headquarters for influencers comes in cooperation between the UAE Government Media Office and the New Media Academy, with the aim of gathering the best and most famous influencers and content makers under one umbrella, in addition to providing an appropriate environment to produce the best content and contribute to achieving the goals of sustainable development.

Media professionals and influencers on social media sites benefit from the services of the permanent headquarters, including content producers, developers, and publishers. The fund, valued at 150 million dirhams, aims to support the production of creative, distinguished, and high-impact content, in addition to qualifying an elite group of content makers, developing their skills, and paving the way for them to enter international markets. To introduce the world to the story of the UAE, its experience, and its civilizational contributions.

The fund also aims to support attracting investments and financing to the new media sector, as it is a rapidly growing economic sector, capable of creating millions of jobs around the world, in addition to supporting content companies and providing them with all the tools that guarantee them success and excellence, which contributes to the prosperity of the sector on scientific and methodological foundations capable of To spread influential messages across all social media platforms.

The support fund seeks to sponsor and enable the creation of stories to improve the quality of content, both as a medium and in content, with the participation of an elite group of experts and academics, as well as to promote the creation of modern local content that supports the development process in the Emirates and its aspirations for the future, thus consolidating the country’s pioneering position as a land of talent and innovators, and a global center for the media industry. Purposeful, and attracting global influencers.

The permanent headquarters provides influencers with a range of services, including photography studios, creating creative and distinctive content, and organizing training courses on content creation related to storytelling skills, photography and montage, publishing and platform management, digital campaigns and photography for social media platforms, and advertising via social media. , and other fields.

It also provides training courses for content makers on how to prepare content with the aim of gaining expertise that enables them to implement their ideas, manage their own content professionally and skillfully, and master the advanced skills and techniques necessary to create and create influential content, and technical support in cooperation with international companies, such as Google and Facebook. ».

Graduating 90 content creators

Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Gergawi witnessed the graduation of 90 content makers, as part of the “Specialized Content Creators” program, which was organized in cooperation between the UAE Government Media Office and the New Media Academy, and the “Content Knight” program in its fourth batch.

Al Gergawi said: “Under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, may God protect him, and the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, may God protect him, the UAE has become a global destination for content creation.” Purposeful and diverse digital.”

He stressed the importance of digital media as a modern and innovative means that enhances communication between governments and peoples, and contributes to spreading awareness in societies.

Al-Gergawi stressed the role of new media and content creation in strengthening the government work system, supporting the governmental directions of countries, and contributing to building strong societies capable of continuing the process of economic, social and scientific development led by countries around the world.

He said: “Our goal is to develop this promising sector by training national and Arab cadres to be able to provide valuable and rich content. Our mission is not limited to attracting creative people only, but also includes preparing and empowering them to become leaders and makers of the future.”

He also touched on the importance of training programs, whether at the local or Arab level, in helping the new generation of content makers determine their paths and choices, and helping them so that they, in turn, can contribute to performing a sublime humanitarian mission in their fields of work.

Al Gergawi said: “The training programs aim to empower Emirati and Arab youth with the necessary tools and knowledge to be active partners in building their countries and protecting their communities.”

On a related note, Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairwoman of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, Member of the Dubai Council, yesterday witnessed the launch of the activities of the second session of the One Billion Followers Summit, which is being held under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of The UAE Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, may God protect him, over two days, and organized by the New Media Academy at the “Museum of the Future” and “Emirates Towers” ​​in Dubai.

Her Highness stressed that “the UAE’s hosting of the first specialized summit in the content industry and the largest of its kind in the world contributes to strengthening the national creative economy, developing the digital content business system, and increasing the volume of promising opportunities that this promising sector provides to content makers and talent owners.”

Her Highness added: “Holding the summit reflects the vision and directives of the leadership to provide all means of support to digital content makers, owners of talents, innovative initiatives and ideas, and investors in the field of creative industries, by providing the best environment to embrace, nurture and develop their projects, create the best advanced infrastructure, and provide exceptional opportunities to empower them and advance their potential and growth.” Their work and projects, and consolidating the country’s position as a global capital for the digital content industry.”

Increasing importance

Her Highness said: “The noticeable increase in the number of participants, which reached 7,000 in the second edition of the One Billion Followers Summit this year, reflects the increasing importance that this event has come to represent on the agenda of content industry events at the regional and global levels, and it is a noticeable qualitative increase. Among these participants, 3,000 content creators are followed by more than 1.6 billion followers, in addition to the participation of 200 media content production companies, 100 digital production agencies, and 195 speakers specialized in the digital content industry in the world who present more than 100 inspiring events, discussion sessions, workshops, and constructive interactive dialogues to contribute in a meaningful way. “My work is in the growth of the digital content industry, which represents the future of creative and media content in the region and in the world.”

Her Highness attended part of the event’s agenda and met with an elite group of influencers, content makers, creators and investors in the creative industries sector.

The summit aims to address more than a billion people around the world with purposeful messages, by hosting an elite group of the most important and largest influencers and content makers in various fields, while the areas of digital content that the influencers participating in the summit are interested in are varied, including the sectors of media, entertainment, sports, education, technology, games, e-sports, and comedy. Economy, tourism and others.

The summit, organized by the New Media Academy, in the Emirates Towers and the Museum of the Future in Dubai, brings together 7,000 participants, including more than 3,000 content makers, influencers, and creators followed by more than 1.6 billion followers. 200 media content production companies, 100 digital production agencies, and 100 A CEO, and 195 speakers from the most famous digital content makers from around the world, presenting more than 100 diverse events, including 15 inspiring speeches, 20 workshops, 25 discussion sessions, 15 interactive dialogues, 4 debates, and 20 different events.

Inspirational models

The summit is unique in its integrated program of diverse events and activities, which includes showcasing talents, inspiring models and distinguished experiences in the field of digital content creation and the most prominent industry trends to provide qualitative and innovative content. It also discusses the most prominent topics and ideas to develop the skills of content makers and inform them of the latest developments in techniques and approaches to creating creative content.

The event’s agenda includes organizing a number of discussion sessions and interactive dialogues that examine the most important tools that make new content creators influential on social media sites. The summit sessions and dialogues also discuss many topics that pose current and future challenges in this field, including how new media contributes as a creative sector. In supporting the economies of countries, and highlighting the skills required to ensure continuity of work across various social media sites and platforms, and other important topics and topics.

Creative platform

The summit provides the participating influencers with many gains by providing opportunities to enhance creativity, generate profits, advance professionalism, and support the network of relationships, as the activities of the One Billion Followers Summit are divided into four main tracks, which are: the creativity track, which comes under the slogan “Let’s Create,” and targets emerging talents in Content creation and provides them with workshops, interactive sessions, and inspiring speeches that help them develop their expertise, and the professional development path “Let’s Advance,” which is directed to specialists and professionals, and provides them with advice and guidance on best practices, solutions, and tools that enable them to excel and excel, and the “Let’s Earn” path, which is offered to those wishing to obtain Profiting from the content industry, the latest and most successful strategies and plans that help them transform their content into a sustainable and profitable source of income, and the “Let’s Converge” path, which provides support to influencers who wish to expand or build a network of relationships and communication in the digital content industry regionally and globally. The summit also represents a practical opportunity for content makers, representatives of social media platforms, and creative content production institutions, to exchange experiences and expertise.

Specialized manufacturers

The “Specialized Content Creators” program, the first version of which was launched last November, and included about 20 members from employees of federal and local government departments and agencies in the Emirates, is one of the most important training programs that aims to prepare qualified national cadres in the industry. Specialized digital content, and contributing to building their capabilities.

Program members also participated in training sessions on photography skills, montage, mechanisms for dealing with brands, account management, artificial intelligence, and publishing, in addition to training on new methodologies in digital marketing, at the hands of a group of experts specialized in this field, including academics and influencers. , local and international.

Content knight

The fourth edition of the “Content Knight” program included 70 content creators, as part of a specialized training program that lasted for five weeks, and for more than 80 training hours, during the past months of September and October, with the aim of improving Arabic digital content.

Over the course of four sessions, the program succeeded in qualifying an elite group of Arab content makers and developing their skills as influential leaders on digital platforms, local and global, with the participation and support of major international companies and platforms and a wide group of international trainers and experts.

The trainees underwent evaluation tests that included the production of more than 400 diverse content. They also participated in social media platform sessions, and the participants achieved a number of views amounting to more than 12,750,000 views.