FINAL DRAFT DOCUMENT
XVI International conference “The role of media in countering terrorism”
Moscow, November 27, 2020
We, participants of the international conference on involvement of media in countering terrorism, note that significant changes have recently taken place in international arena and media landscape. The coronavirus pandemic of 2020 has had an additional negative impact on media work around the world.
The conference participants note that today the main task of international journalist community is to give more efficient response to modern challenges using new technologies, and develop intellectual approaches for fighting ideology of terrorism in any form.
In particular, the conference participants draw attention of journalists to the following trends:
- Changed vector of journalism in anti-terrorist struggle (strengthening international journalist solidarity in terms of forewarning and preventing terrorist acts, organizing effective journalist investigations, analyzing newly emerged dangerous ultra-right and ultra-left threats and terrorist attacks by lone militants);
- increase of cyber crimes demands information security of society;
- fight against terrorism in the context of high technologies and widespread use of artificial intelligence requires a completely new approach to coverage of terrorism by professional journalists.
- delayed reaction of modern journalism to all these challenges is the result of a lack of journalist solidarity and other obvious difficulties, experienced by the professional community, therefore the International Academy of Radio and Television will continue to bring journalists together, as it is extremely important for society.
- new methods and systems to monitor and regulate information field.
- higher level of basic and vocational education.
- new system of training professional journalists based on qualification testing, helping to occupy leading positions in media space.
- compiling national digital security program and implementing it in secondary and higher education institutions.
The conference participants note productive contribution of representatives of international, public and state organizations – the League of Arab States, the RF Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the RF Federal Agency for Press and Mass Communications, the Union of Russian Journalists.
The conference stresses, in particular, importance of the Kaspersky Lab report on existing threats in Internet and danger of cyber terrorism.
The conference participants propose to the International Academy of Television and Radio (IATR) to form a Working Group and invite its participants to introduce clarifications and additions to this document by December 15, 2020.
The agreed version of the Final Document will be published in the media of different countries and sent to relevant national and international organizations.
The participants would like to express their special thanks to the simultaneous interpreters who contributed greatly to the success of the conference.
