More than 3,000 content creators from around the world have gathered in Dubai to participate in the 1 Billion Followers Summit.
Under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, the highly anticipated second edition of the 1 Billion Followers Summit 2024 kicked off on Wednesday, January 10. 2024.
Hosted at the Museum of the Future and Emirates Towers in Dubai, this global gathering for digital content creators on social media will attract 7,000 participants, including 3,000 influencers and content creators from around the world, accompanied by 100 CEOs.
With an expansive following exceeding 1.6 billion, the opening at the “Creators Arena” in Emirates Towers will see the presence of distinguished government officials and international influencers, marking a significant moment in the world of digital content creation.
Uniting over 7,000 participants, including 3,000 content creators followed by 1.6 billion people, the summit in its second year is hosting influential figures and content creators across diverse fields such as entertainment, sports, education, technology, gaming, e-sports, comedy, economy, and tourism. One such prominent creator is Yusuf Omar, a journalist and digital storyteller known for his innovative use of mobile journalism (mojo) and social media. In a conversation with City Times, Omar, who’s co-founded the digital news media platform Seen TV, talks about harnessing the power of social media to create new ways to engage and inform audiences and how his third culture identity, growing up in UK, Australia and South Africa has influenced the choices he makes. Edited excerpts from an interview.
He told the media in an interview,” I’ve been a journalist for 11 years. Previously, I worked at CNN International. Before that, I was with the Hindustan Times in India and earlier, with a 24-hour broadcaster in South Africa. I’ve had a diverse journey, starting from newspapers, then working as a foreign correspondent covering wars globally. Eventually, I recognized an opportunity to establish a media organization focused on amplifying marginalized voices.”
He said, “Around 2017, we initiated the switch. Now, we’re a team of 65 people spread across the globe at Seen TV (@seentv). We’ve published over 4,000 videos, amassing a billion views annually. It’s been an exhilarating ride.” His transition to digital media, was a part of his solution-driven approach, he explained, “Mainstream media lacks diversity and they will never be diverse enough to cover our global and interconnected world. My wife and I quit our jobs, we travelled the world, to about 100 countries, trained 20,000 people in 140 countries on how to tell stories with their smartphones. By aggregating these stories, we provide a platform for diverse voices, painting a more accurate picture of the world. For me, diversity is large amounts of people across the spectrum with shared lived experiences and our venture is focused on showcasing that side of the world.”
