DUBAI, 28th May, 2025 (WAM) -- The Dubai Press Club today concluded the ‘Masterclass’ sessions it organised as part of the Arab Media Summit 2025 (AMS 2025). Focusing on equipping content creators with advanced practical tools to enhance their presence and impact in a rewrought media landscape, the sessions witnessed highly enriching interactions between global digital platform pioneers and creative talents.
Five sessions through Day 2 and Day 3 examined effective ways to optimise individual creativity, artificial intelligence tools, augmented reality technologies, and short-form storytelling, besides highlighting a debutant director’s success story.
Dounia Abou Nassif, Head of Creators Team, TikTok, led a session titled ‘Creativity Beyond Borders.. Youth’s Journey to Create Impact.’ She illustrated how digital platforms can serve as tools for cultural and social empowerment, highlighting content from Arab youth that rose above entertainment criteria to promote values, awareness, and community engagement on pressing issues.
Basil Anabtawi – Head of Content Operations at TikTok Middle East and North Africa, stated: “Creativity is not confined to a particular group or place; it is a natural reflection of human experiences and talents. At TikTok, we witness daily instances of Arab youth who have turned their cell phones into platforms for free expression and positive influence. The Arab Media Summit helps spotlight such experiences. As part of our vision, we strive to support creators and empower them with tools that help them reach their audiences with impactful content that benefits society.”
Mohammed Omar, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Meta, led a workshop titled ‘Trends and Best Practices’ in tandem with Abdulrahman El Sobky, Partner Solutions Manager, Global Partnerships Meta. Sharing valuable tips to help content creators effectively convey ideas to target audiences in as little as a minute, Omar also highlighted campaigns that had successfully integrated elements of visual appeal and interactive storytelling to hit home.
“Every second counts in today’s digital age where audiences perennially crave new content. This calls for delivering messages expediently and efficiently as compared to traditional content publishing practices. For this reason, it has become essential for content creators to acquire new skills, enhance their digital prowess, and utilise modern tools to craft smart visual narratives that ensure maximum impact – while preserving the core of each idea and delivering it fully to the intended audience in an easy and efficient way,” Omar said.
In a session focused on empowering content partners to expand their reach and monetise their content, Majd Ali, Media and Sports Partnerships Lead for EMEA at Snapchat, highlighted how Snapchat’s Public Profiles feature enables partners to grow engaged audiences and strengthen their presence on the platform.
“Public Profiles on Snapchat act as a strategic hub for content partners,” said Ali. “They unlock creative potential, expand reach, and offer powerful monetisation opportunities. In an era of constantly evolving content, Snapchat positions partners as the primary storytellers, using the camera as a tool for real-time, human connection. We're committed to giving our partners the tools they need to craft meaningful stories that resonate deeply with audiences and to drive new revenue streams.”
The Google News Initiative team highlighted a range of digital tools and AI technologies designed to facilitate everyday tasks within news outlets. Led by Pamela Kesrouani, Google News Initiative, Middle East and Africa Region, the team introduced Gemini as a planning and learning assistant offering manifold benefits, and NotebookLM as a personal assistant for rapidly searching and concising information besides also helping with creating content. Also showcased was the Pinpoint search tool to explore and analyse large datasets.
Mazen Sabbagh, News and Publishing Partnerships Lead for MENA at Google, said: “Our collaboration with the Dubai Press Club during the Arab Media Summit 2025 reinforces our strong commitment to empowering the news industry in the region. We are committed to providing journalists and media professionals with advanced digital tools, including AI, to drive innovation and transformation in the news ecosystem in the region.”
Young Egyptian director and journalist Menna Ghazaleh shared her experience directing the short film ‘Ghasaq’ during a session titled ‘Behind the Scenes of the First Film’ on Day 2 of the AMS. Held in collaboration with Al Warsha platform, the session explored how individual talent can deliver powerful cinematic work even with limited resources. It also highlighted the short film format as a space for authentic expression of self and society.
Ghazaleh said: “‘Ghasaq’ is my first attempt to express human experiences through the cinematic language, sans complexity. Through it, I shared a personal perspective, and I hope people can relate to it. I’m grateful to the Arab Media Summit for giving me this opportunity to share my experience with the audience.”
Basma Nabil, actress and founder of Al Warsha platform, commented: “We strive to create an educational space that empowers creatives with tools and gives them the confidence to craft their own cinematic content. What Menna presented in this film proves that an honest story doesn’t need a massive budget – it just needs a real vision and genuine talent to create successful content.”
Mahfoudha Abdullah, organising committee member for the Arab Media Summit 2025, said: “Through the Masterclass series, we aimed to offer a practical model that endows emerging Arab talent with global expertise in an interactive setting. The programme is designed to be a platform for hands-on learning and dialogue, promoting meaningful media content in an era of fast-evolving tools and audience patterns.”
She added: “At the Dubai Press Club, we believe that building the future of media can only happen by empowering young creatives – by equipping them with the knowledge and skills to become active contributors to that future. The Masterclass sessions represent a vivid expression of this vision, delivering high-quality training courtesy of global partners and generating strong engagement from the audience, which reflects the need for more such programmes.”
Underscoring the Arab Media Summit's commitment to ensuring the best possible exposure for promising media talent, the Masterclass sessions generated immense interest, fully justifying their stated goal of promoting professional advancement and knowledge exchange between emerging and established media professionals while offering added incentive to embrace innovation in diverse aspects of media work.