Sharjah, September 10, 2025
His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, inaugurated the 14th edition of the International Government Communication Forum this morning, Wednesday, in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Chairman of the Sharjah Media Council, and Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, Chairperson of the Sharjah Family and Community Council. The two-day event, organised by the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB) at Expo Centre Sharjah, is hosting more than 237 speakers from around the world under the theme “Communication for Quality of Life.”
His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah
At the opening ceremony, His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi delivered a keynote address that drew on history to highlight how communication and consultation have long been the basis of prosperous societies. He recalled the story of Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz, the just ruler, who directed that wealth be distributed to the people until poverty was eradicated, debts repaid, and even animals fed. His Highness explained that this policy was born of consensus and dialogue with wise men, and ensured that public funds were managed with transparency and justice.
Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi said: “This decision was not individual. Rather, it came through consensus and consultation among people of wisdom and discernment, who listened, discussed, and then approved a project that ensures that public funds are not a privilege for a particular group, but rather a right managed with transparency and justice, regulating priorities, prioritising rights, and making the nation’s resources a means of protecting and strengthening society.”
His Highness added that such examples remain powerful lessons in political sociology and in the art of communication. “This story is not just a historical event. It is a lesson in political sociology and in the art of communication, which uncovers the needs of society and translates resources into agreed-upon social security. Thus, the people transform from recipients to partners. From that time until today, the same rule has remained: development requires communication, and decision-making requires dialogue.”
Reflecting on Sharjah’s own experience, His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi highlighted that the emirate has carried forward this legacy under the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, who placed people at the centre of development, culture at the heart of communication, and values as the pathway for progress.
Importantly, the Deputy Ruler of Sharjah highlighted how the Emirate’s model also embraces the voices of children and youth. He said: “The voice of the community is not limited to adults alone; children and youth also participate in decision-making. The Rubu’ Qarn foundation for creating leaders and innovators, for example, chaired by Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, works to amplify voices through the Sharjah Children’s Shura Council and the Sharjah Youth Shura Council, among others, thus complementing the voice of the community.”
Speaking about the forum itself, His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi highlighted its founding principle: communication that does not advance people is incomplete. “Since the forum’s inception, we have always believed that communication that does not advance people and their reality is inadequate and fails to achieve its goals. Therefore, in each edition of the forum, there have been pillars and foundations that have formed a path to advance government communication practices in the region and the world, with a full year of work dedicated to each of them. This year, we are talking about communication for quality of life.”
His Highness concluded saying: “Quality of life is not built by laws alone, but rather by bridges of trust and channels of dialogue that bring institutions closer to the people and engage them in decision-making. History has taught us that the greatest projects fail when communication is absent, and that the smallest initiatives succeed when people are partners in them.”
The session also featured a panel discussion with Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Family and Community Council, titled From Family Awareness to Social Solidarity. In her remarks, Her Highness shared personal reflections on her journey from her youth to her early work in establishing the Al Muntazah Girls Club, which became a space for women and girls to discover skills, pursue sports, and engage in cultural life. She emphasised that the trust of parents was the most significant challenge in the beginning, but once earned, it laid the foundation for generations of empowered girls and women.
Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher said: “Every child has the right to live and grow up in an environment that provides them with safety and psychological stability under the care of their parents. Exposing a child to psychological trauma resulting from heinous wars driven by human greed is unethical, and every individual must strive to provide as much assistance as possible.”
Her Highness also spoke about her visits to various charitable projects and initiatives around the world as a prominent advocate for refugee children with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the first to hold this title in its history. Her visits have covered the opening of the Zaatari Refugee Camp clinic in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the NOOR Gaza Orphan Care Programme, and the construction of a secondary school for refugee girls in Kenya.
She also highlighted the wide-ranging work of the Rubu’ Qarn foundation, based in Sharjah, which today encompasses 31 centres with more than 30,000 members, nurturing young people from an early age and preparing them for leadership. Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher explained: “The Rubu’ Qarn centre creates a generation that chooses its career path early, not focusing on glittering positions or titles. Individuals also learn from childhood that a leader is a servant of society and that it is their duty to strive to develop their country through their leadership influence.”
–ENDS–