‘Story of Steadfastness’ Festival Focuses on Media’s Role in Creating Awareness about Resistance
The 1st Syrian Information Festival held Sunday at the Damascus Opera House under the banner ‘Story of Steadfastness’ -with the participation of Arab and foreign media personalities plus Syrian public and private media outlets- included forum, photo exhibition and honoring ceremony.
According to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), the participating media personalities talked about resistance media in Syria, Iraq, Iran,Palestine and Lebanon.
Member of the Baath Arab Socialist Party’s Regional Leadership Mahdi Dakhlallah said the Syrian journalists, who martyred during the ongoing terror war on Syria [started in 2011], were standing on the frontlines defending the country.
“Resistance media does not only mean conveying news from the front to confront disinformation, but also means creating awareness about resistance in cooperation with culture and art,” he added.
The Baathist official asserted that the war on Syria differs from other wars that erupted in the region because it is a world war in which great powers have been involved without losing their soldiers.
“The great powers used terrorism, mercenaries and media in the war on Syria,” Dakhlallah said, pointing out that Syrian media was alone during the first years of its war against terrorism.
He stressed that Syria had witnessed political reform over the past year manifested in changing the constitution and issuing parties law.
On his part, Chairman of Palestinian Journalists Union Naser Abo Baker talked about criminal practices against Palestinian journalists for many years.
“The Israeli enemy is behind what is happening in the region because its seeks fragmenting the nation and destroying countries of resistance,” he said, indicating that Syrian media has stood with its army and leadership and has succeeded in conveying the reality.
‘Military media’
Chairman of Iraqi Journalist Union referred to the new technique used by media outlets in Syria and Iraq.
“Journalists added a new technique called ‘military media’ in order to convey military news,” he clarified, affirming that foreign media outlets started to shed light on Arab resistance media.
Secretary of Lebanese Journalist Union’s Council Ali Yousef said that media is a weapon and part of the ongoing battles. “Media has become awareness-raising and resistance means in all fields.”
The experience of Syrian media must be documented, according to the Chairman of the Syrian Journalist Union Mousa Abdelnour, who stressed that Syria is paying the price for its stances that support Arab causes.
Minister of Information Mohammad Ramez Turjman told journalists: “The holding of the forum coincides with the victories of Syrian Arab army on ground and there will be other forums to show the steadfastness of Syrian media during the ongoing war.”
The ongoing war on the country was depicted in photos featured during the festival organized by the Syrian Journalist Union.
There was also honoring ceremony for many local, Arab and foreign media outlets that supported Syria, including al-Mayadeen TV channel, RT, NBN, Sputnik, al-Manar and Syrian TV channel.
Media personalities from Iraq, Lebanon, Somalia, Egypt, Sudan, Oman, Morocco, Palestine, Kuwait, Tunisia, Russia and South Africa took part in the festival and they expressed their happiness for sharing Syrian people the joy of their victories.
Basma Qaddour