A panel session on “Media Partnership in the Digital Era: Joint Initiatives towards Information Security” was organized as part of the 2nd Azerbaijan-Uzbekistan Media Forum in Baku on Tuesday.

The event was moderated by Emin Aliyev, Editor-in-chief of Trend news agency.

Addressing the event, Rasim Baghirov, Director of the Department of International Relations and Documentation of Media Development Agency of Azerbaijan, described the digital transformation as one of the most priority issues in the current situation.

He highlighted media literacy weeks, conferences, workshops organized by the Media Development Agency with the participation of students and youth, including the “Smart media” project implemented with “ASAN radio”, and the “Medialb” projects broadcast on AzTV. “Our media works closely with media outlets of Uzbekistan. The recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between the Azerbaijan State News Agency (AZERTAC) and the National Information Agency of Uzbekistan (UzA) is an excellent example of such collaboration.

Kholmurod Salimov, acting chairman of the Union of Journalists of Uzbekistan, spoke about the challenges existing in the field of information security and media.

Fazil Novruzov, Head of Office of the Audiovisual Council of the Republic of Azerbaijan, noted that the large-scale information flow makes it inevitable to pollute the information space.

Abduaziz Abutalipov, General Director the National Media Association of Uzbekistan, mentioned that security is not only about protecting borders, but mostly it is about protecting information.