Priyanka Chopra coming to Sharjah to speak at communication forum

The actress will be in the UAE to discuss how visual media promotes cultural understanding

Priyanka Chopra will analyse how visual media 'highlighs differences and reinforces stereotypes'. AFP

Priyanka Chopra is coming to Sharjah next month to speak about the role of visual media in promoting cultural understanding.

The actress, producer and activist will be a guest speaker at the emirate's International Government Communication Forum. Her talk is scheduled to take place on the opening day of the forum, on Wednesday, March 4, at Expo Centre Sharjah.

Chopra's address is titled "Why Does the Screen Have so Much Impact on Public Opinion?". According to organisers, she will discuss "the power of visual media to ignite cultural curiosity and spark interest in commonalities with other cultures". She will also "analyse how it impacts societies by highlighting differences and reinforcing stereotypes".

The session will be moderated by Raya Abirached, the entertainment journalist known for hosting MBC2's Scoop With Raya and Arabs Got Talent.

As well as her work on screen, Chopra is a global Unicef Goodwill Ambassador and in December 2019 she received the charity's Danny Kaye Humanitarian Award.

"Giving back is no longer a choice. Giving back has to be a way of life," she said after receiving the award. The honour is named after Danny Kaye, an American actor and philanthropist who was Unicef's first Goodwill Ambassador.

Of Chopra's appearance in Sharjah, Tariq Saeed Allay, director of Sharjah Government Media, said: "We have critical questions to ask about the role of visual media in igniting curiosity about new cultures, nurturing intellects, promoting education, highlighting commonalities and areas of mutual interest.

"Given the instrumental role of all all varieties of visual media in educating us about the uniqueness of world cultures, the upcoming edition of IGCF has invited global superstar Priyanka Chopra, one of the most influential modern media figures, to bring her insights and expertise about the huge impact of media in shaping international public opinion, in addition to ways this power can be harnessed to achieve the best outcomes in cross-cultural communication."