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Over 350 journalists, content creators, and influencers took part Thursday in the Arab Media Summit Mallathon, a unique event that blended sport, health, and professional networking ahead of the region’s largest media gathering, rallying under the slogan: “Arab media moves towards the summit.”

The Arab Media Summit Dubai Mallathon, organised by the Dubai Press Club in partnership with the Dubai Sports Council, brought together dozens of media professionals at Dubai Mall’s P3 Cinema starting 8am.

The event offered a refreshing departure from the traditional networking formats of panels and press conferences, blending fitness, health, and professional camaraderie in one spirited morning.

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The idea was to give the Arab media community a head start not just physically, but professionally by creating an informal space to meet, connect, and exchange ideas before the main summit convenes.

Participants lauded the initiative for its unique approach to community building. Radwa Adel, a media professional who attended the event, highlighted the novelty of the experience.

Radwa Adel

“Usually, we gather at conferences or the media forum,” Radwa said. “But combining sports with media was something beautiful today. Around 350 people gathered, and we got to meet new colleagues at the same time.”

For many, the energy of the morning was contagious. Abdelilah Al Tamarim another media professional, was so taken by the initiative that he ran the same course twice.

Abdelilah Al Tamari

“I came early today to enjoy it. I ran first with Dubai Police, and then I ran again with the Arab Media Summit,” Al Tamari shared. “The atmosphere was wonderful, and it was a great experience to move a bit and do some sports. I hope it is repeated.”

Suaad, a media participant from Algeria, described the atmosphere as “fabulous and highly enthusiastic,” noting the stark contrast to the usual cerebral environment of media work.

“Usually, media professionals are engaged in innovation and thinking. This time, it’s something different,” she said, adding that she looks forward to more creative initiatives in the future. “We always expect surprises and creativity from Dubai.”

Suaad

Arab Media Summit 2026

The enthusiasm seen at the Mallathon reflects the growing momentum for the Arab Media Summit 2026, which will be held from September 15 to 17 at the Dubai World Trade Centre under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.The summit is described as the largest media gathering in the Arab world, and its upcoming edition is set to be its most expansive yet.

For the first time, the summit will feature around 10 specialised forums under one umbrella, including the Arab Media Forum, Government Communication Forum, Arab Youth Media Forum, eGaming Forum, Film Forum, and the Arab Social Media Influencers Summit. 

The 2026 edition also coincides with the silver jubilee of the Arab Media Award, marking 25 years of celebrating excellence in Arab journalism.

On the international front, the summit will host Reuters’ ‘Future of News Forum’ and collaborate with the Financial Times on the “FT Global Affairs and Business Council—Dubai Edition,” further cementing Dubai’s standing as a global platform for media dialogue.

The 2025 edition of the summit attracted over 8,000 participants from 26 countries and featured 175 sessions with nearly 300 prominent speakers, a benchmark the 2026 edition is expected to surpass.

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