HAWANA 2026 Gears Up For Summit Tomorrow

BUTTERWORTH, June 19 (Bernama) -- The National Journalists’ Day (HAWANA) 2026 Working Committee has been carrying out final preparations at the PICCA@Arena Butterworth Convention Centre here over the past three days ahead of tomorrow's summit.

Bernama chief executive officer and HAWANA 2026 Working Committee chairman Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin said preparations had reached 80 per cent completion, with several rehearsal sessions held to ensure the smooth running of the event.

She said the decision to host the event in Penang also took into account logistical challenges, including accommodation and transportation arrangements.

"Therefore, we carried out very detailed planning and received cooperation from several accommodation providers in the state to assist not only our team but also media personnel attending the event," she said after inspecting preparations for the summit here today.

Nur-ul Afida said the change in venue was also expected to affect attendance compared with previous editions held in Kuala Lumpur.

"In Kuala Lumpur, more people can easily attend the event. In Penang, work commitments, time constraints and other responsibilities may prevent some from doing so," she added.

She also said several side events organised by the Malaysian Media Council, the Federation of Malaysian Media Clubs (GKMM) and the Malaysian Press Institute (MPI) would be held in conjunction with HAWANA 2026.

The HAWANA 2026 Summit, themed 'Media Integrity Strengthens Credibility', is scheduled to be officiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at 3 pm tomorrow.

The event is expected to bring together about 1,000 media practitioners from Malaysia and abroad, serving as a strategic platform to generate fresh ideas and chart the direction of contemporary journalism.

Organised by the Ministry of Communications with Bernama as the implementing agency, HAWANA is the country's premier platform recognising the contributions, dedication and professionalism of media practitioners in Malaysia.

-- BERNAMA