In conjunction with the comprehensive security campaign recently implemented by the security services in Saudi Arabia, to combat drugs, with direct follow-up and supervision of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in order to ensure the safety of its citizens and residents on its soil, the scientific symposium (the role of media in drug control) organized by the Center began this morning. The regional experience in combating drugs and crime at Naif Arab University for Security Sciences in the capital, Riyadh, with the participation of experts, media professionals, and security specialists in the fields of drug control from Arab countries and international organizations.
The President of the University, Dr. Abdul Majeed Al-Bunyan, confirmed that the symposium comes as an extension of the university’s efforts in the field of drug control, within the framework of its implementation of the Arab strategy to combat the illegal use of narcotics and psychotropic substances, which was adopted by the Council of Arab Interior Ministers as the scientific organ of the Council, and also aims to emphasize the importance of the role of the media in Combating crime, especially drug crimes, promoting the concept of security media and emphasizing the importance of the role it plays.
For his part, the Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime for the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Dr. Hatem Ali, participated in a scientific paper in which he reviewed the efforts of the office at the Arab and regional levels to confront crime and its developments, especially drug crimes, then the head of the Saudi Journalists Association, Khaled Al-Malik, presented a paper entitled (Means of Digital Platforms). and its impact on community awareness), followed by a paper on pioneering models for anti-drug media campaigns presented by Dr. Omar Othman from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
The symposium discussed a paper entitled (The Role of Drama and Television Programs in Prevention and Combating Drugs) presented by Dr. Waad Ibrahim Aref from King Saud University, in addition to a paper on the role of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in raising awareness of the dangers of drug abuse, followed by a discussion session.
It is noteworthy that the symposium, which is organized in joint cooperation between the university and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, aims to identify regional and international media policies and strategies in confronting drugs, highlight programs and activities in educational institutions, and civil society institutions in combating drugs, and clarify the role assigned to international organizations. In the fight against drugs, in addition to reviewing the media experiences of official media institutions and the role of the media spokesman for the security services in combating the spread of drugs.
The symposium shed light on a number of issues related to strengthening the role of the media in drug control through a number of axes, most notably the challenges of drug control, the role of civil society institutions in drug control, and the investment of media platforms in drug control.
