More than just a forum

Borneo Post

3 days ago

Fu Hua, the forum chair and president of Xinhua News Agency, delivers a keynote speech at the BRICS Media and Think-Tank Forum. — Xinhua photo
WHEN I received the invitation from Xinhua News Agency to attend the 'BRICS Media and Think-Tank Forum' in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, I accepted with a sense of pride and anticipation.
As a representative from Malaysia, a non-BRICS country but a believer in South-South cooperation and balanced global narratives following the impressive business delegation led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim a week ahead of the media summit to Rio, I looked forward to a meaningful exchange of ideas with fellow media leaders and thinkers from across the Global South.
After all, the premise of a platform for voices from emerging economies to come together was promising.
A media and think-tank summit for media practitioners to come together to explore how media in the regions could collaborate, share, and resist the homogenisation that had so often accompanied globalisation, was not something to be missed.
In a world increasingly defined by polarities and geopolitical friction, the BRICS forum had the potential to provide a third space, rooted in neutrality, development, and shared aspirations.
In his opening remarks, Fu Hua, president of Xinhua News Agency and chair of the forum, highlighted the aspiration behind this summit.
'Since 2015, we have been holding the BRICS Media Forum.
'We organise photo exhibitions, joint workshops, and exchange visits, all of which help to strengthen cultural ties between BRICS countries and their peoples.'
It is indeed a noble vision.
It resonates with many of us from non-BRICS nations who seek solidarity, exchange and mutual understanding within the Global South.
Another of the forward-looking aspirations came from Ali Muhamad Ali, managing director of the News Agency of Nigeria who hailed BRICS as 'a force to be reckoned with, with its influence growing by the day'.
'For Nigeria, joining BRICS is a no-brainer. We are strategically positioned, eager to reshape global governance,' he said.
That optimism is a desire shared by many countries like Malaysia, which remain non-aligned but committed to balance international cooperation.
If there was one shortcomings of the forum, which I might raise, was that it was a tightly-scripted affair.
Held over a single day, it was structured around a series of speeches and presentations.
There were no roundtables, no interactive panels, and no open-floor discussions for all participants.
The participants, many of whom had travelled across continents, myself included, were left with little room to engage with one another beyond polite greetings and photo opportunities.
Media, by its very nature, thrives on exchange.
Ideas sharpen when tested. Stories grow richer when told across borders.
If this forum had allowed session of honest dialogue for all participants – a closed-door roundtable, a thematic breakout groups, or even an informal Q&A – it might have sparked collaborations that would live far beyond the speeches.
And yet, I want to be clear: I remain thankful because the experience and the wealth of knowledge from the speeches, as a whole, left an indelible mark.
Besides the forum, the summit brought me to colourful and beautiful Rio de Janeiro.
I stood beneath the outstretched arms of Christ the Redeemer, one of the 'New Seven Wonders of the World'.
I walked the colourful mosaic steps of Lapa, feeling the stories of the late Selarón in every tile.
I wandered through the vibrant lanes of Santa Teresa and watched the sea and mountain in conversation behind Sugarloaf Mountain as cable cars floated like dreams in the clear blue sky.
These were moments that no conference schedule could offer – encounters with a city that speaks not only through architecture and history, but through rhythm, food, colour, and spirit.
Rio awakened something in me: a reminder that meaning sometimes comes not in the form that we expect, but in what we find along the way.
As for the forum itself, I hope this was merely a first step.
The symbolism of bringing together media and think-tank representatives from BRICS countries and beyond is significant.
But if future editions are to make a lasting impact, they must move beyond formalities.
We are eager to find allies in storytelling, development, media innovation, and cultural exchange.
We believe in amplifying voices that often go unheard on the global stage, and in creating new narratives that reflect the complexity and dignity of our regions.
Malaysia has much to contribute – and much to learn – from our BRICS partners.
Our media ecosystem, though challenged by digital disruption and economic pressures, remains resilient.
We are undergoing transformation, moving towards digital-first newsrooms, encouraging responsible journalism, and exploring new frontiers in content creation.
But more than that, we bring with us the lived experiences of Southeast Asia – a region that, like Latin America, Africa, and parts of Asia, understands the struggle for development, identity, and sovereignty in a multipolar world.
I return from Rio not with a portfolio of joint statements or memoranda, but with renewed resolve.
Until then, I carry with me the colours of Rio, the lessons of missed opportunities, and the hope that the next forum will truly listen – not just speak.
• BRICS started as a forum for cooperation among a group of leading emerging economies: originally they were Brazil, Russia, India and China. The representatives of these countries began meeting informally during the 2006 meeting of the United Nations General Assembly. In 2011, South Africa joined the organisation, resulting in the change of the group's name abbreviation to BRICS. Now, BRICS also includes Indonesia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates.