by the principle of “The opinion and the other opinion”. It is a mecha- nism of self-other action and interaction, recognising others’ opinions as a form of democracy and coexistence among individuals and nations, and safeguarding mutual rights. Second, Al Jazeera is a pluralistic platform serving truth, operat- ing within a professional institutional framework, and aiming to raise general awareness of issues that matter to the public”. Pluralism here boosts and expands the notion of ‘otherness’ and elevates it from an individual to a much wider arena, i.e., the collective Arab and interna- tional dimension. As pluralism is founded on the other’s right to express their opinion (even if reflecting a minority), it is an objective that is only attainable through adopting ‘truth’ as a transcendent human value. Considering that truth, as a concept, is multifaceted and complex, those in charge of Al Jazeera have adopted the notion of ‘factual truth’, which links true news to conventional professional principles. This has always meant adherence to internally recognised standards and the institutional media framework to meet the conditions of responsibility. The overar- ching objective of the project, under this second dimension, remains the promotion of public awareness of audience-centred issues. This is where a number of new premises arise; most notably that Al Jazeera serves as a mediator between Arab authorities and audiences, driven by the central aim of awareness promotion that leads to the formation of public enlightenment. This emerging awareness, or new culture, is nat- urally connected to the overall scope of issues of general interest to the public. This is exactly where we see the importance of the issues that are closely connected to the Al Jazeera project, namely shaping an Arab media and political culture that meets the varying needs of its public. Third, Al Jazeera serves as a bridge between cultures and promotes people’s right to knowledge along with the values of tolerance, democ- racy, and respect for human rights and liberties. This global aspiration reflects a continuation and a consolidation of local cultures seeking to interact and coexist with other cultures and nations. The overall aim of Al Jazeera remains the liberation of people, Arabs or non-Arabs alike, from submission to and dependency on others.
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