Al Jazeera: A Single Ray of Hope Amidst Darkness Dr. Hamad Bin Abdulaziz AL-Kawari Vice Chairman & Managing Director
Whenever I think of Al Jazeera, Plato’s Cave comes to mind. ‘Has Al Jazeera, since its inception, only changed the Arab media landscape; or broken our thinking patterns?’ The question has remained in the back of my mind till this day. Plato had Socrates explain how the philosopher is like a prisoner who is freed from the cave and comes to understand that the shadows on the wall are actually not reality at all; while other inmates of the cave do not even desire to leave their prison, for they know no better life. This allegory applies to Al Jazeera versus the world. Once born, Al Jazeera left the ‘media cave’ and went on to reveal truths and facts to the Arab and world audiences. Identity questions like ‘who are we?’ or ‘who are they?’ are no longer valid. Al Jazeera helped us to know the answer. The people reeling under the brunt of tyranny appreciate Al Jazeera’s pursuit of human rights and dignity. Individuals came to recognise the value of freedom of expression; an opinion and the counter opinion; and to accept others’ differences and cultures.
Al Jazeera has provided a new paradigm of the global and Arab realities; namely from a purely Arab perspective. I have lived Al Jazeera’s entire journey; an idea turned into a reality. As a result, I can claim to be fully aware of how the Arab and global worlds were before Al Jazeera; and how they became thereafter. Al Jazeera is a beacon of hope to millions: not only is it carrying the torch of freedom of expression, but it is also defending the just causes of justice, equality and human rights. Above all, Al Jazeera is committed to the truth, telling the story with complete impartiality and from all angles. At the time of Al Jazeera’s birth, I was serving as Qatar’s Information Minister. The Father Emir, HH Shaikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, then the ruler, adopted a crystal-clear course: defending freedom of expression and supporting just causes. The leadership wisely removed all controls so that the media would play its role: awareness, development, and justice.
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