The Dubai Press Club today concluded a “master class” session organized as part of the Arab Media Summit 2025 (AMS 2025). The session focused on equipping content creators with sophisticated practical tools to enhance their presence and impact in the rewritten media landscape, and witnessed a very rich interaction between the pioneering global digital platforms and creative talent.
In addition to highlighting the success stories of the debut director, five sessions, we explored effective ways to optimize individual creativity, artificial intelligence tools, augmented reality technology, and short storytelling.
Cross-border creativity… A young man’s journey to create an impact – Tiktok
Dounia Abou Nassif, head of the creator team at Tiktok, led a session entitled “Beyond Botsionders .. Youth’s Journey fore Impact.” She explained how digital platforms can serve as tools for cultural and social empowerment, highlighting content from Arab youth, promoting issues that promote value, awareness and community engagement beyond entertainment standards.
Basil Anabtawi – Chiktok, Head of Content Operations for the Middle East and North Africa, said: “Creativity is not limited to a particular group or location. It naturally reflects human experience and talent. In Tiktok, we witness daily instances of Arab youths who have transformed their phones into a platform for free and positive expression. Help them reach their audiences with impactful content that benefits society.”
Trends and Best Practices – Meta
Mohammed Omar, director of strategic partnerships at Meta, led a workshop entitled “Trends and Best Practices” alongside Abdulrahman El Sobky, Partner Solutions Manager at Global Partnerships Meta. Omar highlighted the campaign where content creators successfully brought their ideas to their audiences and successfully brought them home by integrating elements of visual appeal and interactive storytelling.
“It counts every second in today’s digital age when viewers are craving new content. This requires messages to be delivered appropriately and efficiently compared to traditional content publishing practices. This is why it is essential for content creators to acquire new skills, enhance their digital ammunition, leverage the latest tools and ensure the latest visual narrative to ensure the greatest ideas,” Omar said.
Stay ahead in the changing landscape – Snapchat
In a session focused on expanding reach and monetizing content to content partners, the focus was on leading by Snapchat’s EMEA Majd Ali, Media and Sports Partnership, highlighting how Snapchat’s public profile capabilities can help partners grow their audiences and strengthen their presence on the platform.
“Snapchat’s public profile serves as a strategic hub for content partners,” Ali said. “They unlock creative possibilities, expand reach and provide strong monetization opportunities. In an ever-evolving age of content, Snapchat positions partners as key storytellers and uses cameras as a tool for real-time human connection. We are committed to providing our partners with the tools they need to create meaningful stories that resonate deeply with their audiences and drive new revenue streams.”
AI Tools for News – Google News Initiative
The Google News Initiative team highlighted a variety of digital tools and AI technologies designed to drive daily tasks within news outlets. A team led by Pamela Kesrouani, Google News Initiative and Middle East and Africa Region introduced Gemini as a planning and learning assistant that offers the benefits of manifolds, and introduced Notebooklm as a personal assistant for quickly searching and concentrating information, besides helping to create content. Pinpoint search tools were also introduced to explore and analyze large datasets.
Mazen Sabbagh, News and Publishing Partnerships Leads for Google said: “The collaboration with the Dubai Press Club at Arab Media Summit 2025 has strengthened our strong commitment to empowering the news industry in the region.
Behind the Scenes of the First Film – Al Warsha
Young Egyptian director and journalist Menna Gazare shared her experience in directing the short film “Gasac” during the session on the second day of AMS, titled “Behind the Scenes of the First Film”. The session, held in collaboration with the Al Warsha Platform, explored how individual talent can provide powerful film jobs even with limited resources. He also emphasized the form of short films as a space for authentic representations of self and society.
Gazale said: “Gassack” is my first attempt to express human experiences through the language of film. Stop the complexity. Through that, I shared my personal perspective. I hope people have something to do with it.
Basma Nabil, actress and founder of Al Warsha Platform, commented: “We strive to create an educational space that gives creative tools and gives us confidence to create unique film content.
Interactive configuration
Mahfoudha Abdullah, an organising committee member of the Arab Media Summit 2025, said: “Through the Masterclass series, we aimed to provide a practical model that enhances Arab talent with global expertise in an interactive setting. The program is designed to be a platform for practical learning and dialogue to promote accelerated tools and meaningful media content in the age of audience.”
She added: “At Dubai Press Club, we believe that building a media future can only happen by empowering young creatives, by equipping them with knowledge and skills and actively contributing to their future.
Emphasizing the Arab Media Summit’s commitment to ensuring the best possible exposure for promising media talent, the masterclass sessions generated immense interest and fully justified the goals they stated to promote professional advancement and knowledge exchange between emerging and established media experts, while providing additional incentives to adopt innovation in diverse aspects of media work.
