Bahrain has participated in the first edition of the World Audio-Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) held in India, highlighting its latest advancements in the media sector while fostering cooperation.
WAVES serves as a platform to explore the opportunities and challenges and to set the foundations for a global talent and creativity ecosystem in the fields of media, entertainment, and the creative industries.
Global Media Dialogue was also held on the sidelines of the summit, gathering delegations representing 77 countries and organizations.
Yousif Mohammed Al Binkhalil, Undersecretary of Bahrain Ministry of Information, highlighted that the Kingdom, under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and with the support of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, views the media sector as crucial for promoting ties between nations through messages that reflect the values of tolerance and coexistence.
Al Binkhalil also underscored the Ministry’s commitment to taking part in regional and international events that foster media and technology developments, to showcase the Kingdom’s latest advancements and to benefit from opportunities to develop skills and encourage creativity and innovation among youth. These efforts contribute to the Kingdom’s vision to advance sustainable development.
The Undersecretary further stressed that the summit serves as a platform for enhancing media cooperation and sharing experiences that help improve the national media system, especially amid the rapid technological changes in the media sector and the global rise of artificial intelligence, digital technologies, and related challenges.
WAVES attracted over 10,000 attendees, 650 companies, and 1,000 creatives. The summit centered on a wide range of media sectors such as film, television, radio, print media, broadcasting, news, new media, advertising, animation, visual effects, gaming and esports, virtual and extended reality technologies (AR/VR/XR), music, and more.
Furthermore, it featured a series of sessions, workshops, and seminars revolving around crucial topics such as including media globalization, the future of content creation and distribution, technological disruptions (artificial intelligence, augmented reality, virtual reality, extended reality, and the metaverse), and the evolution of electronic gaming. It also included exhibitions, cultural performances, and a media marketplace.
