ALGIERS – Minister of Religious Affairs and Endowments, Youssef Belmahdi, emphasized the critical need for religious discourse to actively participate in the ongoing digital transformation within Algeria. He made these remarks during the opening of a national forum entitled “Religious Discourse on Social Media,” held at the National Army Club on Monday.
The two-day forum, themed “Words are a Responsibility, Influence is a Message,” aims to support religious content creators across various media platforms. The initiative brings together these creators with university experts and specialists from diverse sectors.
Minister Belmahdi stated that the forum is designed to establish a tradition of training in religious discourse, enhancing communication skills, dialogue techniques, and the fundamentals of persuasion in both online and offline environments. This endeavor seeks to promote positive and responsible national discourse, safeguarding national identity and the Algerian religious reference.
“The goal is to fortify society and stand firm against any attempts to sow discord or undermine national unity,” the Minister explained. He added that Imams, as custodians of the word in mosques and active participants in the digital sphere, urgently require this type of training to keep pace with the rapid changes in communication technologies.
With Algeria’s entry into the 5G era and the proliferation of modern technologies and smartphones, Minister Belmahdi stressed the importance of aligning religious discourse with the state’s digitalization efforts. This alignment will facilitate the dissemination of values of goodness and positive messages that unite rather than divide, contributing to reconciliation and protecting the nation from all forms of evil and division.
The Minister concluded by reiterating the role of religious leaders in promoting national cohesion and responsible digital citizenship in an increasingly interconnected world.
