Shusha, July 14, 2026 – To explore “The Mission of the Media in Promoting Peace: Restoring Truth and Rebuilding Trust” Azerbaijan’s cultural capital hosted the 4th Shusha Global Media Forum.
Demonstrating its growing global appeal, the event brought together over 160 participants from 54 countries to drive effective networking across the media community, government agencies, and international entities. This dynamic gathering united communications experts with representatives from 30 international news agencies, more than 60 leading media organizations, and 10 international bodies.
During the first day of the Forum, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan H.E. Mr. Ilham Aliyev engaged with the participants in a broad, high-level dialogue. His insights into pressing geopolitical issues, regional connectivity and the wider peace agenda provided a comprehensive framework for the Forum's expert panel sessions.
On the second day, 14 July, the official opening ceremony featured welcoming remarks by Mr. Hikmat Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration. Noting that the information space and media are increasingly utilized as tools of influence, he underscored Shusha's significance as a platform for generating new perspectives on today's complex global realities. To effectively navigate this landscape, Assistant to President Hajiyev highlighted Azerbaijan’s comprehensive modernization of its media environment, emphasizing that digital innovation must advance alongside digital responsibility, with the well-being of the younger generation placed at the center of policymaking.
Echoing this call for responsible journalism, the first panel discussion explored media's role in encouraging dialogue, supporting public discourse and contributing to peacebuilding. This was followed by the second session, where speakers focused on media's responsibility in reporting on post-conflict recovery and urban renewal narratives.
Speaking at the third panel on media diplomacy, CICA Deputy Secretary General Ms. Zhang Ling emphasized media's role in political and public dialogue and its mission to build trust and enhance mutual understanding among people. To gain greater public understanding and support, she encouraged journalists to focus more on the broad agendas of international organizations in addressing global challenges, calling for impartial and comprehensive coverage of their work.
Reaffirming CICA's mission to transform dialogue into actionable cooperation, Deputy Secretary Zhang urged the media to spotlight CICA Member States' practical collaboration, particularly in transportation connectivity, sustainable green development and women’s empowerment.
Expressing gratitude to Azerbaijani Chairmanship for continuing efforts to advancing the CICA’s transformation process and its innovative approach to enhancing cooperation among Member States, Deputy Secretary Zhang announced the first CICA Media Forum set for 1 October 2026 in Baku, in the lead-up to the 7th CICA Summit on 15 October, which will mark another significant milestone in the CICA’s evolution. She invited media to closely follow these milestones to deliver comprehensive reporting of the key decisions and outcomes.
Beyond the main panels, the Forum's agenda also included one-on-one discussions and dedicated side events. These specialized formats tackled emerging industry challenges, exploring topics such as coordinated media responses to disinformation, growing influence of artificial intelligence on visual storytelling and social media ethics, future of the radio industry and the importance of cross-border media solidarity in the digital environment.
Since its launch in 2022 by the Media Development Agency (MEDIA), the Shusha Global Media Forum has emerged as an international platform dedicated to navigating new challenges in the global information space, fostering mutual understanding and the restoration of public trust.
