NATO trains Gulf cadres on media communication during crises

The Director of the NATO Regional Centre of Excellence and the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative, Emad Al-Kandari, affirmed on Sunday the importance of enhancing media and institutional communication skills and improving the capacity of Gulf personnel in dealing with the media, particularly during crises and emergencies.

This statement was made by Al-Kandari in an interview with the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) on the sidelines of the launch of the advanced training course on Public Affairs, titled “Crisis Communication,” hosted by the Centre in collaboration with the Regional Public Affairs Centre in the Republic of North Macedonia. The course, which runs until October 29, brings together trainees from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

Al-Kandari explained that the course aims to equip participants with advanced communication skills and techniques, professional media presentation mechanisms, and effective crisis communication strategies, thereby enhancing their ability to interact professionally with the media and elevating the level of institutional communication in their daily tasks.

He noted that the training program combines theoretical lectures with practical applications, including drafting press releases, conducting media interviews, and organizing press conferences, alongside developing verbal and non-verbal communication skills, monitoring and analyzing media coverage.

He emphasized that the course also focuses on developing participants’ capabilities in managing media communication under various circumstances and crises, contributing to their readiness to handle media challenges efficiently and professionally.