Forum Topics:

1.    PR Climate Survey
2.    Speech of HE Dr. Tarik Mitri, Minister of Information, Lebanon
3.    Keynote Speech “From Global to Regional Communications”
4.    The Future of the Industry & the Industry of the Future “Creating Brilliance in Public Relations”
5.    Examples of Brilliance
6.    Brilliance in Tough Conditions
7.    Advertising, Marketing, and Public Relations, Competition or Integration?
8.    Closing Session

1.  PR Climate Survey:
The opening session of the Forum will present the results of the first PR Climate Survey in Lebanon which was implemented through the participation of 50 leading companies and organizations.

2. Speech of H.E. Dr. Tarik Mitri:
H.E. Dr. Tarik Mitri will give an overview on the growing importance of public relations in Lebanon and how public and private sector organizations should work together to raise awareness of this critical industry.

3. Keynote Speech
A leading international communications expert will give an eagle’s eye view of the public relations industry globally, speaking about the increasing importance of the practice of public relations and its growing diversity.  Our keynote speaker will be joined by a local business communications expert to provide a complementary and contrasting perspective on the practice of public relations in the regional and local environments.

4. The Future of the Industry and the Industry of the Future:
The maturation of the public relations industry and the standardization of its principles and methods predominantly lie in the hands of its leading practitioners. Sound vision and healthy competition play a key role in enabling the public relations industry claim its rightful position within the communications matrix.

5.  Examples of Brilliance:
What constitutes brilliance from a public relations standpoint and how can it be achieved in a professional context? Studying examples of powerful and innovative public relations programs to understand how they add value to a communications campaign.

6. Brilliance in Tough Conditions:
The role of public relations in the current economic situation can be described as an opportunity.  In the aftermath of the financial crisis and its impact on the private sector, companies began investing more in communications to ensure that their messages are sent and received with a strong, clear voice, continuously using this strategic tool to restore consumer confidence.  The practice of public relations is a tool to help organizations recover and to grow their businesses.


7. Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations: Competition or Integration?
Three experts representing marketing, advertising and public relations will present their views on the relationship between their respective industries.  Do they complement each other? Are they effective when they operate independently? Do they overlap or do they conflict?


8. Final Session
Selected panelists will take center stage and discuss key resolutions in an interactive session with the delegates.

Workshops

1. Organizing Communications … Communicating Organization
Effective communication lies at the core of any successful company or organization.  Organizations, whether large or small, regularly fall into the trap of neglecting the development and evolution of their communications strategies, departments and programs until their communications fail to reflect the organization’s evolving needs and priorities. This workshop aims at exploring various ways to organize communications programs and identify real solutions to meet current and future organizational requirements.  The second part of the workshop will explore how to effectively communicate these changes within your company and secure internal acceptance.

2. Preparing for the Worst
More than 70% of crises situations occur or escalate because an organization is not well prepared.  This workshop goes beyond the boundaries of defining a crisis situation to focus on how to anticipate one, prepare for the worst, and deal with it once it happens.

3. Social Media
Social media is the next big thing in public relations and it seems as if the whole world wants in!  This session moves beyond the basics of Face Book and Twitter and explores how sophisticated social media programs can be a powerful tool to canvass opinion, increase brand awareness and promote products and services, as well as enhance the reputation of organizations.