President Joseph Aoun on Wednesday warned that truth is losing its place as a universal value in an age dominated by misinformation and digital noise, urging media professionals to reclaim their role as guardians of honesty and accountability.
“The truth is dull, the rumor is seductive,” Aoun said, quoting a communications expert as he addressed the opening of the 21st Arab Media Forum at the Middle East Airlines Conference and Training Center in Beirut. “This saying captures the dilemma of our time, a world where truth no longer holds absolute value and where instincts often replace reason.”
The president said no society could progress on falsehoods or populist rhetoric. “Good governance needs those who tell the truth,” he declared, warning against political manipulation and the exploitation of public emotions. “A responsible leader must choose between speaking hard truths or leading people with flattery toward ruin.”
Aoun also called on journalists to uphold their ethical and professional responsibilities in an era of technological upheaval, stressing the need to preserve independence and credibility amid what he described as “the devouring giants of technology.” He reminded the audience that freedom of expression, as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, carries the duty to respect others’ rights and maintain public order.
Concluding his remarks, Aoun urged media institutions to restore truth as the foundation of public life.
The forum, held under Aoun’s patronage and titled “Media and Development… Partners of the Present, Alliance for the Future,” brought together Arab information ministers, media professionals, and officials, in cooperation with the Ministry of Information.
During the event, Information Minister Paul Morcos hailed Lebanon as “a homeland of thought, diversity, and culture,” while Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheith called media a “key partner in development.”
Aboul Gheith also reiterated support for Lebanon’s implementation of UN Resolution 1701 and expressed confidence in the Lebanese Army’s role in preserving national sovereignty.
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