The Arab Media Forum 2023 will host the Turkish star Engin Altan Duzyatan, the hero of the series “Resurrection of Ertugrul,” which is one of the most famous and successful drama series in the history of Turkish art, and perhaps in the history of drama in general in the world.
The forum will kick off its twenty-first session next Tuesday in Dubai, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Hosting Dozyatan comes within the framework of the forum’s discussion of the ability of drama to influence as one of the most important manifestations of soft power, especially through successful works that have been able to achieve widespread dissemination, achieving a huge audience base estimated at billions of people around the world, and the elements that would lead dramatic work to reach… This magnitude of cross-border influence, and its transformation into an effective bridge for positive communication between cultures and peoples, and what are the lessons learned from the distinguished experiences in this field, and how to benefit from them in advancing the overall dramatic production in the Arab world to this level of competitiveness, influence and spread.
Mahfouzh Saleh, a member of the Arab Media Forum’s organizing committee, said: “Drama is a form of media, with the messages it carries within it and the values it promotes, especially with the expansion of its circle of influence through the widespread spread of content distribution platforms that attract huge numbers of followers, whether It was open or with paid subscriptions, which helped increase the influence of drama as a soft force that has a tangible impact on society. We found the importance of exposure to drama and how to employ it in the right way to support the media message, given its great ability to influence by showcasing cross-border work, which is a phenomenon by all standards. “As it has created a huge fan base around the world, which is what we hope for Arab drama, which will have a large share of the forum’s discussions this year.”
The series deals with the Middle Ages, by presenting the biography of Ertugrul bin Suleiman Shah, the leader of the Kayi tribe and the father of Osman I, the founder of the Ottoman Empire.
3 billion viewers
The historical series enjoyed tremendous popularity, as the number of viewers it watched over its five seasons (150 episodes) is estimated at approximately three billion viewers. The series was broadcast on television in 71 countries, after it was dubbed into 25 different languages, which contributed to the expansion of its global reach. It turned into a unique phenomenon, due to the integration of the elements that made it an interesting work, in contrast to the nature of traditional historical works, so that this unique dramatic work turned into a source of inspiration for production companies around the world, after it contributed to creating new standards for historical drama.
Drama stars
The forum’s activities, over the course of September 26 and 27, will witness the participation of an elite group of drama and film stars in the region and the world, as well as producers and stakeholders in this creative sector, to discuss the integration of its role with the media message in conveying cross-border messages, the role of soft power in spreading culture and indirect promotion, and its ability On bringing different cultures together, relying on the element of creativity capable of conveying the message easily to people, and how drama and cinema can be used to achieve greater rapprochement and understanding between peoples.
It is noteworthy that the agenda of the 21st Arab Media Forum is the largest in the history of the forum over the past 20 years, and an elite group of thinkers, writers, leaders and officials of Arab and international media institutions participate in its discussions within this session. The agenda of the current session of the forum addresses a wide range of topics related to the future of media, and the impact of modern technologies and the digital environment in shaping the features of Arab media in the next stage, while the largest event on the agenda of the media sector in the Arab region discusses the necessary elements to advance the competitiveness and capabilities of Arab media, and enhance Its positive impact on building Arab societies and supporting their development ambitions.
• 71 countries broadcast the series on television.
