At the press conference held after the 12th Session of the Islamic Conference of Information Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), hosted by Türkiye and attended by ministers and high-level representatives from 48 countries, Director of Communications Fahrettin Altun said, "Undoubtedly, disinformation and Islamophobia are among the strategies used by the colonial order established in the context of media and information in the international arena. Therefore, we must wage an effective and multidimensional struggle in solidarity against this colonial order."
Noting that the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation has played a crucial role in fostering cooperation and solidarity among member states, as well as protecting and promoting the rights and interests of the Islamic world, Director of Communications Altun said that one of the most important structures of the organisation was the Conference of Information Ministers and that this structure played a vital role in strengthening cooperation and solidarity in the fields of media, communication, and information.
Director of Communications Altun stated that Türkiye assumed active responsibilities in all structures of the organisation since its inception and made significant contributions to the organisation.
Noting that the previous Conference of Information Ministers was held in Jeddah in 2016, Director of Communications Altun stated that Türkiye had hoped to host the conference in Istanbul for a long time but had to wait due to the interruption caused by the global pandemic.
"Cooperation is the most important instrument for overcoming challenges"
Remarking that one dimension of the challenges faced on the national, regional, and global scale is experienced in the field of media, communication and information, Director of Communications Altun said that the most important instrument for overcoming the challenges in the field of media, communication and information was the cooperation and coordination between friendly countries.
Expressing that they believe that the conference has a crucial function in increasing coordination and cooperation in this field and producing solutions to current issues, Director of Communications Altun continued:
"Today, as Türkiye, we have also assumed the Chairmanship of the conference. I would like to thank Saudi Arabia, which held the Chairmanship during the last term, and Minister Majid bin Abdullah for their contributions to our conference. We will honour this duty, the term of the Chairmanship, and we will put in every effort to fulfil this responsibility with the utmost sensitivity.
During our Chairmanship, we aspire to enhance, deepen, and institutionalise our cooperation through a wide variety of concrete steps, from countering disinformation to exchanging experience and technology, bolstering legal infrastructures to joint productions. One such tangible output of our meeting today was regarding the OIC Media Forum. As instructed by our President in his address yesterday, we have launched and established the OIC Media Forum, which will be headquartered in Istanbul, as a significant platform."
Director of Communications Altun stressed that the efforts for the Media Forum would be carried out under the responsibility of the Presidency's Directorate of Communications and expressed his belief that this platform would elevate cooperation in the media sphere through the efforts of the organisation's member states,
"We must wage a multidimensional struggle against the colonial order"
Director of Communications Altun said that they addressed the joint steps to be taken in this direction at the conference held under the theme "Combating Disinformation and Islamophobia in the Post-Truth Era," adding:
"Undoubtedly, disinformation and Islamophobia are among the strategies used by the colonial order established in the context of media and information in the international arena. Therefore, we must wage an effective and multidimensional struggle in solidarity against this colonial order. It is a must and not a luxury. At our conference today, we adopted a very significant declaration for this purpose. This declaration, which we have called the Istanbul Declaration, has a significant and crucial substance at a time when we face several challenges in the fight against disinformation and Islamophobia."
In the Istanbul Declaration, the importance of combating systematic disinformation in the digital age we live in was emphasised. In the Declaration, we have pointed out the threat that disinformation activities and fake news pose to the security of individuals and countries, as well as to the Muslim community and minorities around the world. We also addressed concrete actions that will strengthen Islamic countries' cooperation in the fight against disinformation."
"We reaffirmed commitment to the Palestinian cause once again"
Emphasising that the fight against disinformation in the post-truth era requires short, medium and long-term strategies, Director of Communications Altun said, "In this regard, we have presented a shared vision to strengthen legal infrastructures, promote media literacy, and develop verification mechanisms."
Noting that they reaffirmed their commitment to the Palestinian cause, which is one of the founding purposes of the OIC, in the Istanbul Declaration, Director of Communications Altun stated that they agreed to support the Palestinian News and Information Agency.
Director of Communications Altun stated that they have put forth a will to give more coverage to Israel's unlawful actions in Jerusalem in the member states' media and to share more with the international public the grievances of the Palestinian people against Israel's propaganda activities.
Stressing that in the Istanbul Declaration, members reiterated that the Islamic world unanimously condemns all forms of violence, extremism, radicalism and terrorism, Director of Communications Altun said, "Violence is violence no matter where it comes from, radicalism is radicalism no matter where it comes from, terrorism is terrorism no matter where it comes from and should be condemned collectively."
Pointing out that they agreed that the Secretariat General of the OIC should organise social media campaigns that reject terrorism, violence and extremism and call for dialogue and coexistence, Director of Communications Altun stated that they believe this initiative would be an instrument to combat the negative and unfair perception of Islam and Muslims in the new media.
Agreement to establish an international channel within the framework of the Organisation
Stating that they also underlined the importance of the support given to refugees and the countries hosting refugees in the Istanbul Declaration, Director of Communications Altun said:
"We drew emphasis to the OIC's dialogue between the Islamic world and the rest of the world's cultures. Furthermore, we advocated for increased awareness of prejudice towards our African brothers and sisters. With a shared desire to enhance bilateral and multilateral exchange programmes among member nations, we increase cultural engagement and communication among Islamic countries. Moreover, we decided to have a forum within the organisation in order to establish a stronger and healthier relationship with our youth, who are the Islamic Ummah's future.
On the other hand, we agreed to establish an international channel within the framework of the organisation, as well as a road map for financing this channel through the General Secretariat. This channel will be a significant instrument in accordance with the unity of the Islamic Ummah, with contents that will introduce the activities of member countries and related institutions and will serve this valuable purpose."
Director of Communications Altun stated that they have agreed to increase their support for organisations such as the Union of OIC News Agencies, the OIC Islamic Broadcasting Union, and the Media Forum under the umbrella of the Organisation and that brotherly Azerbaijan made a proposal to host the next Conference of Information Ministers, which was also accepted.
Wishing that the conference and the decisions taken would be beneficial for countries, organisations, regions, the Islamic Ummah, and all humanity, Director of Communications Altun stated that during its term Chairmanship, as Türkiye, they will strongly continue their efforts, in line with the OIC's founding principles, by creating opportunities for institutionalisation, particularly regarding Islamophobia, systematic disinformation and the Palestinian cause that the Islamic world is facing today, and that they will work to ensure that the Conference promotes healthier outcomes for future generations through lasting projects and activities.
