The 20th Public Relations World Congress is being held for the first time in the Middle East in partnership with UK-based Public Relations Consultants Association (PRCA).

The event, to be held from March 13 to 15 at the Grand Hyatt Dubai, will present the newest insights and trends in communications.

The congress will also feature two workshops on evolving trends and industry best practices, said organisers International Public Relations Association – Gulf Chapter.

The workshops on ‘Developing & Implementing a Digital PR Strategy’ and ‘Making a PR Campaign Happen’ will be held on March 13 from 9.30 am to 5.30 pm.

The workshops will have simultaneous Arabic/English translation, and participants will receive workbooks and notes, in addition to receiving certificate from PRCA.

Steve Dunne, one of the UK’s top PR trainers and Digital PR specialist, and former head of Corporate Communications for British Telecom, HSBC and South African Airways, will lead the workshop on ‘Digital PR Strategy.’

The workshop on ‘Campaign Effectiveness’ will be led by Adrian Wheeler, a veteran media and PR professional, who directed PR campaigns for blue-chip organisations and has more than a decade of experience in training, having delivered seminars, workshops and lectures in Europe, the US, South Africa and the Gulf region.

Built on the core theme of the Congress, ‘From the Arab Street to Wall Street, Communications in the Age of Dialogue,’ the workshops are aimed at providing delegates a platform to gain new insights into best practices in the communications industry, he added.

The congress has a line-up of over 35 speakers, who will share their views on the changing political landscape, challenges and opportunities in the Public Relations sector, the future of the media, social media trends, and Public Relations in the Middle East.

The key speakers include Malaysia’s former deputy PM Anwar Ibrahim; British PR guru and chairman of Chime Communications Lord Bell; former head of Al Jazeera and co-founder of the Sharq Forum, Wadah Khanfar; GM of Al Arabiya TV, Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed and Roger Fisk, who played a key ‘behind the scenes role’ in the election of US President Barack Obama.

It is being held under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President & Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and in partnership with the National Media Council of the UAE.-TradeArabia News Service