The two-day 2011 public relations conference organized by the International Public Relations Association Gulf Chapter (IPRA-GC) in Abu Dhabi has opened its doors yesterday at the Yas Hotel. 200 regional and international media, public relations and communications professionals have traveled to attend this year’s conference held under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Public Works and Chairman of the National Media Council.
“We are extremely pleased to host this conference here in the UAE, which has emerged as a global communications and media hub, and as a centre of excellence for the public relations profession,” said Nasser Al Jessmi, Vice President of the UAE Chapter of IPRA-GC. “The 2011 IPRA-GC Conference represents a unique opportunity for regional public relations consultants, in-house communications professionals, business leaders and the media to better understand each other by engaging in a sustained dialogue about the challenges we face and opportunities we must seize.”
This year’s them is “Reputation Management: Emerging Trends, Changing Dynamics,” highlighted by a keynote session moderated by former BBC journalist Tim Sebastian, founder of the worldwide famous Doha Debates. Other topics discussed at the Abu Dhabi international public relations conference include trending and future PR practices, the always mixed relationship of PR pros and journalists, bouncing between love and hate, the role played by the Gulf in global public affairs and integrating PR in today’s digital world.
“The financial crisis and the recent wave of protests that have swept the region have put reputations on the line in the Middle East as never before,” Sebastian said. “This conference represents a signal opportunity for communications professionals to discuss and debate the ways in which governments and businesses can respond to these unprecedented challenges to the status quo.”
Among the many local PR firms, Porter Novelli, Edelman, Ketchum & Fleishman Hillard all have offices in Abu Dhabi.