The Qatar Press Center concluded a course entitled “The Role of Media in Promoting the State Protocol Message,” presented by Dr. Omar Ghanem, an expert in state protocol and diplomatic communication, during the period from July 20 to 23, at the Dr. Rabia Bin Sabah Al-Kuwari Hall.

 

The course was attended by 20 participants from various ministries and state institutions and addressed the role of the media in strengthening international relations and countering misleading and false news that seeks to undermine those relations.

The trainees called for an advanced training course on state protocol to gain a deeper understanding of diplomatic dealings and the mechanisms and rules of effective diplomatic communication, which is one of the pillars of strengthening relations between countries.

 

The role of the media

Dr. Omar Ghanem praised the efforts of the Qatar Center for Journalism, expressing his delight at the trust placed in him by the center to deliver a training course on the role of the media in promoting the message of state protocol. He noted that the course was a forum for communication with different segments of society.

He said: "The course was attended by workers in the government and private sectors, media professionals and journalists, so the scientific material took into account the diversity of the participants' professions, with the aim of informing them about the practices of the State Protocol, as a large part of this field is unclear to the general public, focusing on the role of the media in promoting the message of the State Protocol, as the authority that can defend national interests with high professional values and raise public awareness in the face of external media disinformation campaigns.

 

Misconception

Dr. Omar Ghanem addressed the definition of protocol, noting that some non-practitioners have contributed to misconceptions about protocol and etiquette. He concluded that protocol is the rules of the state, while etiquette is the rules of society. Protocol consists of guidelines, while etiquette is polite behavior or conduct; therefore, etiquette needs protocol guidelines to be on the right track.

 

Four themes

Dr. Omar Ghanem touched on the themes of the course, saying, "The course covered four themes, the most important of which was the historical, value-based, and cultural roots of protocol. We also broke down some of the overlaps regarding the source of the rules that contributed to shaping the guidelines followed by members of society in this field.

We also focused on the Eastern origins of protocol and how Islam contributed to reinforcing this image, drawing on the Holy Quran, the Sunnah of the Prophet, and the legacy of the righteous predecessors in shaping the message of state protocol, as many of the methodologies followed in Western presidential palaces are protocols derived from the East.

The second theme dealt with the Qatari State Protocol and its basic components, and how its five pillars work, namely: the flag, the national anthem, the state emblem, the images of the Emir, and the state's system of precedence. These components must be recognized by specialists and others, so that they have sufficient knowledge of how to deal with them.

The third section addressed how the media contributes to supporting the State Protocol and countering foreign media campaigns that seek to mislead public opinion and misinterpret certain actions in order to undermine the morale of society. On the positive side, the media can reinforce the message of hospitality towards guests, especially during state visits, where the media is one of the pillars of such visits.

The fourth theme addressed skills related to handshaking, appearance, and behavior, with a focus on what is specific to Qatari society, such as hospitality in the majlis.

 

Scarcity of Arabic references

He emphasized what the tabloid press does to create provocative images of the other side, either to discourage public opinion or to reshape and direct it in the wrong direction. He advised media professionals not to publish anything that makes them suspicious, but rather to investigate and research, and not to accept any photographic material even if it comes from a reputable media outlet, and to employ experts who are able to expose misinformation so that they can stand out from the crowd.

He called on those working in the field of state protocol to pass on their experience to those who come after them, given the scarcity of references in the Arabic library on this fascinating subject. Writing on this subject must come from people who have worked in the field, as academic study is not enough.

At the end of the course, Mr. Abdullah bin Hayi Al-Sulaiti, Deputy Chairman of the Qatar Press Center, and Mr. Sadiq Mohammed Al-Amari, Director General of the Center, distributed certificates of participation to the participants.

 

Scientific content

Mr. Abdullah bin Hayi Al-Sulaiti thanked Dr. Omar Ghanem for his sound scientific content, praising his efforts in delivering a rich training course that which demonstrated his high level of professionalism in simplifying concepts for participants and adapting them to the media context in a way that enhanced their understanding of their pivotal role, whether they are employees in government ministries or journalists and media professionals.

Al-Sulaiti emphasized that the course contributed to establishing a culture of state protocol and clarified many misunderstandings in this field, which will make it easier for employees in general and media professionals to understand the context in which state protocol operates, thereby contributing to raising public awareness and understanding and promoting the message of state protocol.

 

Training course

For his part, Mr. Sadiq Mohammed Al-Amari expressed his gratitude to Dr. Omar Ghanem for offering this course through the Qatar Press Center, noting the course's contribution to consolidating the concepts of state protocol and the essential link between the media and the protocol message of the state.

He expressed the Center's readiness to offer an advanced course after the summer break to ensure the completion of this unique training program, emphasizing that participants in this course will be given priority to enroll in the advanced course in recognition of their commitment and keenness to develop their skills in this important field.

Mr. Al-Amari confirmed that the Qatar Press Center will offer a package of specialized courses in the coming period, which will keep pace with the artificial intelligence revolution, advanced political analysis, news presentation, and everything that will hone the skills of media professionals with the latest developments in the profession.

 

Participants' views

The Qatar Press Center surveyed a number of participants, who confirmed that this course was a gain for them in developing their skills on both a professional and personal level, praising the efforts of the Qatar Press Center in adopting training course topics that meet the needs of national cadres in particular.

Haya Al-Hajri, an employee, praised the importance of the course and expressed her gratitude to the center for offering it with Dr. Omar Ghanem, confirming that she had previously attended a course but that it was not as informative as this one, especially in terms of protocol related to visits by heads of state.

She said: “Before the course, I was not familiar with the different types of visits and the differences between them, especially state visits, official visits, and working visits, but now I have a better understanding of diplomatic protocol, and I can share what I have learned with those around me. We ask the Qatar Press Center to offer an advanced course in this field to hone our skills.”

Amna Al-Kuwari, an employee, said: “The benefit was 100%, especially since the nature of my work requires a lot of travel, so it was important for me to learn about protocol and etiquette. Protocol is a guide for dealing with politicians and diplomats, and etiquette is the appropriate behavior that must be adhered to.”

She emphasized that the course increased her awareness of protocols in different countries, especially when hosting guests, and she looks forward to advanced courses.

 

Community awareness

Maryam Al-Mahmoudi, an employee, explained: "I am passionate about media, which is why I enrolled in the course. What caught my attention was the reference to the role of some media outlets in misleading the public and exploiting a lack of awareness of protocol to distort the facts.

She praised the center's efforts and the importance of the training topics it offers to improve the skills of trainees in the fields of journalism and media.

 

Protocol code

Aida Mohammed, a journalist with Al Jazeera, said: “The course is important for media professionals, as it decodes state protocol, which helps journalists use the correct titles and accurately cover official visits by heads of state and leaders.”

She added: “What I learned was the difference between an embassy and a consulate general. I didn't realize the difference before, but now I am more accurate, and I join my fellow participants in calling for an advanced course.”

 

An important course

Saleh Hanazal Al-Marri praised the efforts of the Qatar Center for Journalism, emphasizing the importance of the course for government employees, especially those working with foreign delegations. He said, “The course is rich in information and will improve my job performance. It has also contributed to increasing my awareness of this important field.”

 

Detailed information

Rashid Salem Al-Nuaimi, a university student, said: “The course is at the heart of my academic specialization, and through it I learned about the titles of state leaders and the different types of official visits.”

He added: “What attracted me was the minute details in the preparations for the ceremonies. I also learned that protocol is not imported but has its origins in the Arab East, and that what is followed in the presidential palaces of Western countries is derived from Islamic diplomatic protocol.”