Al Jazeera: A Single Ray of Hope
have one last request before you leave office, kindly stop the ‘Affairs & Opinions’ show on Radio Qatar. The margin of freedom and issues discussed are a thorn in our necks.” “I cannot make a promise,” I replied. “All I can say is that it is only the tip of an iceberg.” Then came Al Jazeera; born and grown ripe against all odds. It went beyond to surmount the language barrier, launching Al Jazeera English, followed by Al Jazeera Balkans. Al Jazeera is addressing people in all corners of the globe; telling the world untold stories. During my Africa campaign for the race to the UNESCO chief office in 2017, I was telephoned by a prominent African leader who asked me to pay a visit to his country. At that time, the four blockading countries arbitrarily sought the shutting down of Al Jazeera. Upon meeting him, the prominent leader told me: “Kindly inform the Qatari leadership that we, in Africa, are proud of Al Jazeera; so keep going and pay no attention to these unlawful demands.” We all take pride in Al Jazeera’s fearless journalism; and raise the hat in salute to Al Jazeera and before that to the wise Qatari leadership that turned its vision into a reality.
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