Tuesday 14 / October / 2025
Muscat: The 13th Middle East Strategic Communication Conference (MESTEC 2025) opened Tuesday morning at Intercity Hotel Muscat, bringing together leading communication experts from academia, government, and the corporate sector to explore the future of strategic communication in Oman and the Arab region.
The conference, held under the strategic partnership of the Ministry of Labour, will continue until Wednesday. Recognised as one of the Arab world’s most prominent platforms for discussing modern theories and concepts in media strategy, international relations, public relations, and soft power communication, the event is organised by Muscat Media Group in partnership with the Ministry of Labour.
It is licensed and supervised by the Gulf Strategic Communications Center (GSC) — the founder and owner of the conference.
This marks the second consecutive year that MESTEC is being hosted in Muscat, after having previously taken place in several Gulf and Arab capitals.
Muscat: Capital of Arab Media
The opening ceremony began with remarks by Dr. Tariq bin Khalifa Al Sheikhan Al Shammari,, Chairman of the Arab International Relations Council, President of GSC, and Chairman of the Conference.
Dr. Al Shammari expressed his gratitude to the Ministry of Labour for its strategic partnership with MESTEC 2025, underscoring the ministry’s commitment to advancing human development and equipping Omani professionals with the skills and knowledge necessary for progress and success.
He also thanked Muscat Media Group for hosting the event for the second time, praising its strong reputation across the Gulf and Arab media landscape.
Dr. Al Shammari revealed the organisers’ intention to establish the Sultanate as the permanent annual host of MESTEC, expressing his ambition for Muscat to become a capital of Arab media.
Following his remarks, the event honoured its sponsors — the Ministry of Labour, SOHAR Port and Freezone, and Ford — as well as media partners, including Al Bilad Newspaper (Bahrain), Marum PR (Riyadh), and Mubasher News (Saudi Arabia).
The ceremony also featured the announcement of the CARINTER Media and Journalism Awards, recognising individuals who have made significant contributions to Gulf and Arab media.
The CARINTER Award for Gulf Journalist of the Year went to Ahmed bin Sultan Al Jaber from the UAE.
The CARINTER Award for Gulf Media Personality of the Year was presented to Ibrahim Al Tamimi from Bahrain.
The Arab Media Personality of the Year (2025) award was granted to Dr. Khalid bin Abdulrahim Al Zadjali, Omani film director.
State Media Strategy
The first general session was delivered by Dr. Tariq Al Shammari, who discussed state political media strategies and how nations convey their messages to the world.
Moanis Al Murdhi spoke about the future of print journalism and strategies shaping the digital media landscape.
Rashad Al Wahaibi, Corporate Communications Advisor at SOHAR Port and Freezone, highlighted the port’s media policy and its approach to economic communication.
Dr. Hamid Al Niyadi, President of the Emirates Association for Public Administration, explored emerging concepts in digital media and their social impact.
Professor Ghadir Al Shamri from King Saud University discussed health communication strategies and preventive healthcare messaging.
Dr. Moza Al Rawahi from Sultan Qaboos University focused on information warfare and media literacy as foundations for an Arab model of smart media governance.
Colonel Eng. Mohammed Al Jassasi shared insights on security media strategies and their role in countering terrorism, extremism, and radical ideologies.
Meanwhile, Karma Al Taher, PR and Media Consultant at Muriya, presented on emotional and human communication as a tool for strategic messaging.
Day One Panel Discussions
The first panel discussed SOHAR Port and Freezone’s communication strategies, led by Rashad Al Wahaibi.
The second session focused on communication strategies during crises and disasters, featuring Colonel Eng. Mohammed Al Jassasi and Karma Al Taher.
The third session examined communication and media strategies for external and counter-campaigns, featuring Dr. Moza Al Rawahi and Dr. Tariq Al Shamri.
The conference continues on Wednesday with additional sessions covering public relations, media, soft power, and international relations.
This year’s conference attracted around 200 participants, representing government institutions, major corporations, and media organisations, including ministries and PR firms.
Distinguished speakers from Oman and across the GCC are sharing forward-looking perspectives on artificial intelligence in media, digital communication, and institutional excellence in strategic communication.
Strategically sponsored by the Ministry of Labour, MESTEC 2025 reaffirms the government’s commitment to excellence in strategic communication and to empowering both public and private sectors to lead confidently in the digital transformation era.
Additional support for the conference comes from SOHAR Port and Freezone, and Ford, the global leader in innovation, performance, and progress.
Ford’s participation reflects its vision to drive transformation beyond mobility, supporting innovation, technological advancement, and leadership in communication across industries.
The event is managed by Nexus Novel, Oman’s premier boutique advertising agency specialising in 360-degree marketing services, ensuring the conference’s delivery is both innovative and impactful.
