Eternal Spring
Al Jazeera was not bombed, yet it remained the target of negative propaganda campaigns under the pretext that it was providing a platform for terrorists. Simultaneously, most of the Arab ruling regimes continued their crackdown on Al Jazeera; shutting down its offices and arbitrarily arresting its reporters. It was even falsely alleged that Al Jazeera was a Zionist mouthpiece created by the Mossad. With every passing day, realities on the ground prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Al Jazeera is providing credible in-depth content. Al Jazeera defiantly continued to battle through all these adversities and to excel with professionalism and tolerance. It would not have been possible without the bold stand taken by the Qatari leadership. As the Arab world continued to plunge into chaos and fragmentation, Al Jazeera continued to side with the human story, defending the right to freedom and dignity. As the crackdown continued, Al Jazeera had no presence in Tunisia; its offices in Egypt were closed; even its frequency on satellite was banned. A tight siege was laid around us; however, our enthusiastic young New Media team came up with creative solutions, switching our broadcast onto the web. Our audience’s response was prompt as millions turned to our content online, before we, in a short span of time, managed to find other alternatives and resume onscreen reporting.
Al Jazeera has taken the Arab media to new heights, shifting it from serving as a mouthpiece for the powerful to siding with the underprivileged, the unheard and the marginalised. Not only is Al Jazeera a true gauge of the pulse of Arab peoples, but it is also expressive of their hopes and aspirations. It is their collective consciousness, and has become their way of life. Al Jazeera is not a political party nor are we a group of rebels. We are simply a team of professional journalists. It is not a paradox, nor a mystery; Al Jazeera is the normal example of free independent media, served by an elite group of journalists holding steadfast to professional ethics and human values. Despite hailing from different nationalities and backgrounds, Al Jazeera staff have one thing in common: Al Jazeera’s mission to tell the human story and be the voice of the voiceless. Fearless in embracing change, Al Jazeera has always been dynamic. Throughout a quarter of a century, it has adopted creative initiatives against all odds - political, social and technical.
Needless to say that Qatar was the perfect birthplace for Al Jazeera, where the network found unlimited scope of freedom and resources. Back to where I began, when I got out of my car and dissolved into the jubilant crowds on the Corniche that night, I remembered our fallen journalists, who sacrificed their lives in service to the truth and free journalism. They are the eternal spring of inspiration to all of us. Al Jazeera has been – and will always remain – in service to this cause.
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