Eternal Spring
Now more than ever before in this post-social media era, there is a dire need for in-depth journalism. It is a must to steer peoples away from fake news and fabricated toxic stories. Marking Al Jazeera’s 10th anniversary, we all cherished the ‘Al Jazeera Spirit.’ It is this very spirit that is still inspiring Al Jazeera staff to remain steadfast in its editorial policy. It is an epitome of our mission. Al Jazeera never served as the state’s mouthpiece nor was it driven by profits. In addition, siding with the people has given Al Jazeera an extra edge: the ability to thoroughly dissect the reality and foresee the after-effects. Going down memory lane, namely to 2006 when Al Jazeera entered a multifront battle during the US invasion of Iraq. An unpublished memorandum made within the British government, said to be the minutes of a discussion between American President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair, speculated about bombing Al Jazeera’s world headquarters in Doha and other locations. The move was blocked by the then Secretary of State, Colin Powell.
Eternal Spring Wadah Khanfar | Former Director General
It was yet another eventful day in weeks-long uninterrupted coverage, where Al Jazeera’s screen was adorned with dozens of red ‘breaking news’ lower thirds. As Egypt’s snowballing protests culminated in Mubarak’s ouster, celebrations broke out all over the Arab World. As long office hours had taken a toll on me, I drove home via my usual route - Doha Corniche. Countless thoughts were spinning in my head; a torrent of emotions thrashing about inside me. The trickle of people turning out had become a flood. They were of various nationalities; coming to
express their joy. Some chanting joyous slogans; others handing out candies. As the crowds swelled around my car, I could not drive any further. Some among the crowds recognised me and pulled me out of the car. As a token of their appreciation to Al Jazeera, they hugged me in joy. I was overwhelmed and could not hold back my tears. That was the pinnacle of my 8-year watch at the helm of the channel. I spent a chapter in my career serving as a correspondent in Africa, Afghanistan and then Iraq. There, I came to realise that the most indispensable
tool of in-depth journalism is understanding the psychosocial and cultural fabric of the peoples. A foreign correspondent must be equipped with such a tool to be able to truly and objectively tell their story. To this end, Al Jazeera always excelled. Al Jazeera managed to build a vast network of correspondents, well-versed in every aspect of the lives of the peoples they are covering, and wisely deployed in every corner of the world. As such, Al Jazeera’s reporters were the best to tell the story within the right contexts; to convert information into valuable knowledge.
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