Sharjah, Sept 13 (Petra) – Secretary-General of the Ministry of Government Communication, Zaid Nawaiseh, said the ministry views modern and traditional communication tools as a vital bridge for building trust and fostering two-way interaction between the state and society.
Speaking at a session titled "Using Government Communication to Build Sustainable Lifestyles " during the 14th International Government Communication Forum in Sharjah, Nawaiseh said government communication is a driver of development and modernization. He argued it must go beyond relaying information to explaining decisions, simplifying policies, and boosting public awareness of civic responsibilities.
Jordan’s experience in government communication, highlighted through a program designed to make communication an effective tool for improving quality of life and strengthening sustainable partnerships, won broad praise from forum participants.
Nawaisa said the ministry’s strategy is tied to national modernization tracks political, economic and administrative as well as to the Sustainable Development Goals. He added that institutional media plans have been developed to promote cabinet decisions regularly through a network of official spokespersons, a step that has improved transparency and ensured citizens are kept informed of government actions.
He noted that the Government Communication Forum, launched by the ministry to clarify cabinet decisions and debate priority issues, has become a permanent channel for direct engagement. This, he said, allows the government to present its efforts openly while giving the media and the public real-time access to updates.
Nawaiseh underscored the importance of cultivating constructive relations with the media and empowering it to spotlight achievements, identify shortcomings, and hold institutions accountable, thereby reinforcing reform and modernization.
The forum, he added, represents a new model of government communication based on live, face-to-face engagement between officials and journalists. This approach, he said, has helped the government clarify national priorities, counter misinformation, and streamline messaging, deepening the partnership between government and society in sustainable development.
Nawaiseh highlighted "Ida’at" (Spotlights), a visual content program that addresses digital media issues in youth-friendly language through short videos on the ministry’s social media platforms. The program, developed with academics, experts and trainers in media literacy, seeks to raise awareness of key media concepts in an engaging format.
He added that Jordan is preparing a vision for advancing digital media to integrate artificial intelligence tools, data analysis, live broadcasting and interactive platforms. The aim, he said, is to strengthen connections with audiences, expand coverage, and enable media to play a larger role in shaping public opinion in addition to delivering information responsibly.
Nawaiseh stressed the need for media to keep pace with digital transformation and adopt an enabling role that builds civic capacity, fosters active citizenship, and positions communication as a national force supporting sustainability and broader social participation.
He said the ministry employs integrated tools to promote active citizenship in sustainability, including national awareness campaigns, digital platforms for citizen feedback, dialogue sessions and workshops across social groups to feed into public policy.
He also underlined the importance of media and community education in embedding media literacy values into programs, empowering citizens to critically assess information and recognize their role in resource and service sustainability. Media, he said, must act as a partner in promoting sustainability messages and positive values through specialized programs, reports and success stories.
The forum concluded Thursday with the announcement of the 2025 Sharjah Government Communication Award winners, honoring innovation and excellence in global communication practices.
Over two days, the event held under the theme *"Communication for Quality of Life"* hosted 237 participants from 110 institutions representing official, academic and media sectors worldwide.
//Petra// AF
