Damascus, SANA- The 1st national media conference continued its activities on Monday as the discussions of the participants focused on the “religious dimension in the media”.

The participants’ interventions focused on the possibility of replacing the material of religious education in the curriculum with the subject of ethics and the role of the Ministry of Awqaf (Religious Endowments) in the education of true Islam.

The participants inquired about the role of the Awqaf Ministry in enlightening and dispelling the dark thought that was instructed in the minds of some citizens, especially the children who stayed for years in unsafe areas.

The participants called for working on the selection of appropriate preachers and Imams and not to leave these platforms for some extremists and focus on showing the influence of religion in the application of morality and good treatment among people.

For his part, Minister of Awqaf (Religious Endowments) Mohammad Abdul-Sattar al-Sayyed affirmed that the media institutions in Syria broadcast the religious message in the right and proper manner, pointing out that the religious discourse in the media should focus on moral aspects and includes concepts of good, dignity and humanity in a way that contributes to the fight against Takfiri extremist thought.

As the development of religious discourse is the responsibility of the Ministry of Awqaf and all religious scholars, according to the minister, the ministry has worked to change the legal curricula, noting that “changing the curriculum does not mean violating the constants, we should be at the same time sticking to it and developing religious discourse and fighting Takfiri mentality.”

Mikdad: Media should serve national identity

For his part, Deputy Foreign and expatriates Minister Fayssal Mikdad affirmed that media basically serves certain institutions, so it is not wrong for the Syrian media to serve the national identity.

During a session on “diplomacy in Media”, Mikdad pointed out to the lies being practiced in this domain, and the ways of misleading followed to convince the public opinion, whether inside the US or outside it, to justify the US aggression on al-Shairat airport.

He reiterated that Syria has no chemical weapons.

The 1st national media conference kicked off on Sunday under the title The Right of the Citizen to Media, organized by the Information Ministry.

Manar/Mazen