Nations adopt ‘WAVES Declaration' for cross-border collaborations in media and entertainment

Hindustan Times

03-05-2025

MUMBAI: India hosted the first Global Media Dialogue in Mumbai on Friday, marking a milestone in the country's engagement with media and entertainment industries worldwide. Held during the ongoing World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES 2025), and organised by the ministry of information and broadcasting (I&B) and the external affairs ministry (EAM), delegates and senior officials from over 50 countries participated in the dialogue.
Aimed at nurturing international collaboration, policy alignment, talent exchange and capacity building in media, the dialogue focused on the role of governments in fostering peace and harmony in an increasingly globalized media environment. It culminated in the adoption of the 'WAVES Declaration' by the member nations.
In the declaration, member countries pledged to encourage more people-to-people, culture-to-culture and country-to-country exchanges, by championing media and entertainment as a channel for dialogue. They committed to support choice, access and affordability in media consumption; and pledged to uphold content that respects human rights, and cultural sensitivities while fostering cross-border collaborations.
In his welcome address, I&B minister Ashwini Vaishnaw underlined how culture inspires creativity which connects people across borders. He said that content creation and consumption is changing fast as technology is reshaping the way we tell stories. 'We are at an inflection point where we need to incentivize local content creation,' he said.
Welcoming delegates from 77 countries to Mumbai, Vaishnaw put stress on the crucial role of collaborations, and asserted the need to focus on co-production treaties, joint funds and a commitment to bridge the digital divide and foster global peace and harmony.
Calling WAVES 2025 a microcosm of the global community, external affairs minister S Jaishankar, referred to the broad contours of the Global Media Dialogue 2025, throwing light on the world order – with a strong cultural dimension -- undergoing transformation. 'It is essential that we give voice to our traditions, heritage, ideas, practices and creativity,' he said, adding, 'It is equally crucial to make young talent ready for an age of creative collaborations through relevant skill development.'
Jaishankar continued, in the age of AI, 'while the possibilities are beyond imagination, yet there is a need for a responsible use of emerging technologies while reducing bias, democratizing content and prioritizing its ethics'.
'For a global workplace and global workforce, there is need for shifts in mindsets, frameworks, policies and practices,' he said, expressing confidence in WAVES as a platform to deliberate on the key issues before the global media and entertainment sector.
Several member nations shared their concerns on the need to enhance 'responsible journalism', which they said could be addressed by mutual collaborations on the forum of WAVES.