Doha: The Behavioral Health Support Center (Daam), under the Qatar Social Work Foundation (QFSW), organized a forum focusing on preventive media as a partner in societal values and social cohesion, together with an exhibition on responsible content. The event was held in collaboration with Qatar Television and was attended by HE Minister of Social Development and Family and Chairperson of the Board of Directors of QFSW, Buthaina bint Ali Al Jabr Al Nuaimi, along with a range of ministers, executive directors, media and social institution representatives, behavioral health experts, academics, and youth interested in media and volunteer work.
According to Qatar News Agency, Executive Director of Daam, Jawaher Abu Alfain, emphasized that the family is fundamental in building a cohesive community, aligning with Qatar National Vision 2030 (QNV 2030). The forum merges national vision with scientific and applied knowledge, fostering a platform for institutional collaboration, particularly with media as a key partner in promoting positive behaviors and a sense of belonging. Abu Alfain highlighted the necessity of investing in preventive media to protect societies socially, behaviorally, economically, and politically, reinforcing the role of conscious media as a strategic tool for stability and sustainable development.
The forum reiterated Daam’s dedication to a national message centered on awareness, prevention, and treatment, positioning media as a leader in community partnerships that cultivate a healthy, cohesive, and resilient society, capable of overcoming challenges while upholding authentic values. Director of Qatar TV, Ali bin Saleh Al Sada, underscored the importance of supporting national efforts to build Qatari citizens and enhance values of belonging and societal responsibility in line with QNV 2030, which includes human development as a core pillar.
Al Sada stressed the need for Qatari citizens to internalize strong moral and ethical values, cherish their cultural and national heritage, and develop a deep sense of belonging and citizenship. He noted that the pillar of social development contributes to achieving key national objectives, such as protecting national heritage, reinforcing Arab and Islamic identity, and fostering tolerance and constructive dialogue. Qatar TV believes in the national media’s role in enhancing behavioral health and raising public awareness, viewing the forum as a significant milestone in the evolution of national media, helping shape societal awareness and protect the social fabric from alien behaviors that contradict the nation’s culture.
Acting Director of Community Awareness at Daam, Hussein Al Harmi, stated that the forum’s objectives include spotlighting cutting-edge media practices for awareness, exploring how to leverage them to boost media and social awareness and positive behaviors, and enhancing balanced human behavior through professional content. Panel discussions emphasized the importance of preventive media as a strategic tool for social stability and its role in enhancing awareness and responsible societal behavior, as well as its impact on mental health and social balance.
The responsible content exhibition featured media and community initiatives demonstrating how media can be used consciously and responsibly across traditional and digital platforms. It showcased experiences from media institutions and community centers, presenting achievements in preventive and awareness-driven media through interactive platforms with audio-visual materials, documentary reports, and real-life testimonies.
Participants concluded the forum by emphasizing the need for a unified Gulf framework for preventive media, establishing professional standards and messaging, and joint evaluation mechanisms to ensure quality and impact effectiveness. Recommendations included developing a system to measure preventive media’s influence on societal behavior, implementing broad preventive media campaigns, and creating a unified regional platform for preventive media expertise, focusing on psychological and social dimensions.
They also called for a national charter for responsible media that accounts for psychological and social considerations, strengthening social cohesion and promoting positive values. The importance of sustainable institutional partnerships between media and social sectors was highlighted to implement comprehensive preventive media initiatives. Additionally, participants advocated for launching joint Gulf youth media platforms and designing specialized training programs to empower young people in producing purposeful media content that raises societal awareness. They urged the creation of youth media productions reflecting Gulf identity and integrating cultural and social values within a contemporary framework.