BRUSSELS: Egypt is slated to participate in a European conference supporting democratization and creating new partnerships in the Middle East. The conference began in Brussels today. It will focus on the media's role in affecting democratic change in Middle Eastern countries. European Commission officials, members of Parliament, and media experts from the EU and Arab countries will participate in the conference. The conference will also discuss future relationships between Middle Eastern countries and the European Union as well as the media's role in strengthening partnership and coordinating between the two sides. The important role that social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook played in contributing to political changes during the Arab Spring will be another point of discussion. A diplomatic reporter from the Middle East News Agency said that this conference differs from other, similar conferences because it will include many European Parliament members with diverse political views.