Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed guests, fellow journalists, and media practitioners from around the world.
I am deeply honoured to address this gathering today on deepening media co-operation and promoting exchanges along the Silk Road, with a focus on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
I am proud and eternally grateful to stand here before you to not just represent my country South Africa, but to represent the African continent on such a pertinent topic.
The late former South African president Nelson Mandela once said: Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.
As journalists, we have a critical role to play in shaping the narrative of this historic undertaking.
The BRI presents an unprecedented opportunity for global co-operation, and our responsibility is to inform, educate, and facilitate dialogue.
However, we face challenges where some of us still operate in Information silos, have to contend with and navigate through minefields of misinformation, and lack of political will to effect real change on top of various cultural barriers.
However, it is never all doom and gloom because as I have indicated earlier, we also have opportunities in areas such as digital technologies, social media, globalisation and the growing demand for diverse and alternative perspectives.
To effectively cover the BRI, we must accurately report on BRI projects, progress, and impact. We must also engage with stakeholders, policymakers, and local communities. We must also showcase success stories, best practices, and lessons learned.
Through all of this, we must be unapologetic and patriotic in our quest for economic growth opportunities for our respective countries.
In deepening media co-operation, my current publication, the Daily News, is looking at ways to collaborate with organisations such as the Global Times Online and CGTN through content sharing and the development of new content that we will showcase to the rest of the world, not only on Chinese platforms but on Western platforms as well in order to level the playing field by providing variety and diverse opinions.
As things stand, we already have an excellent working relationship with Xinhua News.
To deepen co-operation, I propose the following:
1. Establish joint reporting initiatives between Chinese and African media houses.
2. Develop exchange programmes for journalists – at Independent Media we have the cadet programme of which many great journalists from our country are a product, including myself. Perhaps there is now a need to internationalise this programme and make it more inclusive and co-operative with the international community.
3. Create platforms for shared content – the digital space and the technological advancement that comes with it has created endless opportunities.
4. Foster dialogue on media ethics and standards – this is critical because we need to hold each other accountable.
5. We also need to leverage technology for collaborative storytelling. We cannot leave it to the rest of the world to tell our stories, nor can we leave it to the rest of the world to determine who we co-operate with.
As much as the world is changing all around us, the media must not get left behind in modernisation.
In his speech at the opening ceremony of this year's Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (Focac) summit, President Xi Jinping said there will be no modernisation or shared future without China and Africa. Therefore it is up to us to find our place in this brave new world through promoting media exchanges and mutual learning.
To promote exchanges and learning, we need to organise workshops and training sessions, develop cultural immersion programmes, encourage citizen journalism, support translation and interpretation services and celebrate diverse storytelling traditions.
In conclusion, Mandela once also said: “Africa is a continent that is rich in minerals and gems that lie beneath it's soil, but it's greatest wealth is it's people who are finer and truer than the purest diamonds.”
In this regard, the people of China could not have asked for a better co-operation partner.
Looking into the future, I would like to suggest that we strengthen our media partnerships, amplify diverse voices, foster a culture of mutual respect and empower the next generation of journalists.
Together, we can create a vibrant, inclusive media landscape along the Silk Road, enriching our understanding of the BRI and its transformative potential.
Ayanda Mdluli is the editor of the Daily News at Independent Media in South Africa. This is an edited version of his speech delivered at the Belt and Road Forum for International Think Tank Cooperation and the 2nd Silk Road International Communication Forum in Xi’an. He is currently on a fellowship programme in China with the China International Press Communication Centre (CIPCC).
Daily News