Dubai Group, the leading diversified financial services company of Dubai Holding, has entered into a long term partnership with Dubai Press Club, to foster the growth of financial reporting in the region.

As a first step of this partnership, Dubai Group had signed on as a platinum sponsor of Arab Medium Forum 2008, which was held from April 23 to 24 in Dubai and the annual Arab Journalism Awards, which were hosted as part of the closing ceremony of the two-day forum.

Comprising 12 different categories in addition to special honours, the awards recognised excellence in Arab journalism.

Dubai Group presented the ‘Best Press Interview’ Award to Basil Ali Abu Hamda of the UAE daily Al Bayan at the annual Arab Journalism Awards 2008, for his incisive interview with the international Brazilian Novelist Paulo Coelho. The award was given away by Soud Ba’alawy, executive chairman of Dubai Group.

Ba’alawy said the group's association with the Arab Media Forum and Dubai Press Club reflects its conviction in the active role played by the media towards the progress of the region as a whole.

'We will work closely with the DPC to further train financial and business media and help them reach international reporting standards. As Dubai Group we are determined to utilise this platform to create opportunities for exchange of information and international best practices,” he noted.

Dubai Group will lend its support to Dubai Press Club’s monthly activities, including guest speaker events, exhibitions, seminars and training programmes for journalists.-TradeArabia News Service