Bahrain is to step up media diplomacy to project true internal facts to the world, said a senior government official, stressing the vital importance of optimising the use of modern media technology to this end.

Minister of State for Information Affairs and the government's official spokesperson Sameera Rajab also urged ambassadors to play their role in highlighting the country's causes abroad, said a report in our sister publication, the Gulf daily News.

Rajab was speaking as she delivered a lecture 'Towards a better strategy in dealing with external information'.

It was part of the first annual ambassadors' conference, which began yesterday (December 1) at the Foreign Ministry.

She stressed the need to adopt an interactive approach in dealing with the foreign media and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), taking into consideration international policies and new regional trends.

"The media and NGOs are nowadays the cornerstone of soft power as they play a crucial role in shaping new regional policies," Rajab said.

She urged the ambassadors to have a full grasp of all issues concerning Bahrain, stressing the importance of building bridges with journalists, holding regular Press conferences and upgrading embassies' websites.

She commended the reform project initiated by His Majesty King Hamad enabling Bahrain to overcome the aftermath of the unrest.

Addressing the conference, Foreign Ministry Under-Secretary Abdulla Abdullatif Abdulla stressed the importance of projecting the truth and interacting with foreign media. – TradeArabia News Service