TEHRAN- The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Media and Think Tank Summit opened on Sunday in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, bringing together nearly 200 representatives from media organizations, think tanks, government institutions, and international organizations from 25 countries.

Hosted jointly by Kyrgyzstan's Kabar National News Agency and China's Xinhua News Agency, the five-day gathering runs from July 26 to 30, ahead of the 26th SCO Heads of State Council meeting and coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the organization's establishment.

Mehr Media Group is attending the summit as the sole representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran, participating in specialized panel discussions as well as bilateral meetings with media organizations and research institutions from across the SCO region.

Held under the theme "The Shanghai Spirit in the New Era: From Shared Values to Practical Cooperation," the summit focuses on strengthening collaboration between media outlets and think tanks to promote regional development and enhance mutual understanding among SCO member states.

Participants are discussing four key areas: fostering consensus on development through media and think tank cooperation; expanding practical regional collaboration; promoting fairness and justice in global governance; and strengthening strategic coordination and win-win cooperation within the SCO framework.

The opening ceremony featured addresses by Daiyrbek Orunbekov, head of the Information Policy Service of the President of Kyrgyzstan; Mederbek Shermataliev, director of Kabar News Agency; Xi Yanchun, vice president of Xinhua News Agency; Liu Jiangping, China's ambassador to Kyrgyzstan; representatives of the SCO Secretariat; senior media executives from member states; and Mohammad Mahdi Rahmati, CEO of Mehr Media Group.

According to the summit agenda, delegates will examine a range of issues affecting today's media landscape, including digital transformation, the application of artificial intelligence in journalism, cybersecurity, combating disinformation and fake news, strengthening information security, and expanding cooperation among media organizations and think tanks.

Discussions will also explore the establishment of permanent cooperation mechanisms between media institutions and research centers, joint coverage of major international events, journalist exchange programs, and the use of emerging technologies to amplify the SCO's voice on the global stage.

SAB/