On Sunday, a ceremony was held in Damascus to mark the 30th anniversary of the Al Jazeera media network, under the slogan “And We’re Still Telling the Story.” It took place simultaneously with a ceremony in Doha to launch Al Jazeera’s channel system. Guests included Syria’s Minister of Communications Abdel Salam Haykal, Minister of Culture Mohammed Yassin Saleh, members of the People’s Assembly, ambassadors accredited to the Syrian capital and many Syrian journalists. The event highlighted the network’s three decades of work and its strong connection with Syrian audiences.
Mohammed Kannas, head of Al Jazeera’s Damascus bureau, recalled that broadcasting began on November 1, 1996, with the slogan “The Opinion and the Other Opinion.” He said the network had established a firm place in Syrian homes and won viewers’ trust by telling the stories of people, their suffering and their hopes during the years of the Syrian revolution. He wished the channel another 30 years of professionalism and audience trust. His words point to Al Jazeera’s prominent role in Syria’s media landscape over recent decades.
A separate and emotional part of the ceremony was a tribute to the families of seven Al Jazeera employees killed in Syria: Mehran al-Dairi, Mohammed al-Qasim, Ibrahim al-Omar, Hussein Abbas, Mohammed al-Asfar, Mohammed al-Masalama and Zakaria Ibrahim. Their memory was honored in recognition of the sacrifices made while covering events. The moment served as a reminder that, throughout the network’s 30-year history, reporting has often come with risks and personal losses.
Over three decades, Al Jazeera has become a significant part of Syrian public consciousness. Through its television broadcasts and platforms, viewers followed world events and developments in Syria, particularly from the start of the revolution in March 2011 through the fall of the Assad regime on December 8, 2024. In polls conducted by correspondents in various provinces, Syrians said the channel had opened a window onto the world, offering different points of view. Many also described Al Jazeera as a voice that represented them during the years of the revolution.
Viewers’ personal memories add to the picture. Ammar, 55, said Al Jazeera had become a constant presence in the homes of most Syrians, and that he had followed the channel from the war in Iraq and events surrounding Al-Aqsa, the West Bank and Gaza through to the fall of the Assad regime. Abu Hassan, a merchant at the Sahnaya market on the outskirts of Damascus, called the channel’s programs part of the collective memory—from “The Opinion and the Other Opinion” to unforgettable reports on the 2003 occupation of Baghdad, the Arab Spring and the victory of the Syrian revolution. Residents of Aleppo recalled first seeing Al Jazeera in 1996 in Darat Izza, following its programs “Sharia and Life” and “The Opposite Direction,” and valuing the channel for its neutrality, accuracy and courage. Adnan spoke bitterly of colleagues lost in Gaza and while covering fighting in Syria, including Sami Haddad, Jamil Azar and Jamal Rayyan.
Coverage of the Syrian revolution took on a special place in the channel’s history: from peaceful protests near the Omar Mosque in Daraa in March 2011, and in Damascus’s cities and suburbs, to Homs, Tartus, Latakia, Aleppo, Idlib and Hama. Abir, a lawyer from the Damascus suburbs, believes Al Jazeera’s reports were essential to understanding events, from breaking news to evening analysis programs. She recalled the chemical attacks in Ghouta in 2013 and Khan Shaykhun in 2017. Suleiman, a civil servant, called coverage of Operation Deterrence of Aggression—a campaign that led to the fall of the Baath regime—a pivotal moment. “We went to sleep and woke up to Al Jazeera’s hourly updates on Operation Deterrence of Aggression,” he said.
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What was Operation Deterrence of Aggression, described in the article as a key moment in the fall of the Baath regime, and which Syrian and foreign forces took part? — Deterrence of Aggression (Arabic: ردع العدوان) was an offensive operation by the Syrian opposition, launched on November 27, 2024, under the leadership of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, with the participation of factions from the Syrian National Army and local opposition groups. It began in Idlib and led to the capture of Aleppo, Hama, Homs and Damascus, and to the fall of the Baath regime on December 8, 2024. Turkey provided political and logistical support to the SNA and the opposition; Russia and Iran/Hezbollah supported the regime but were unable to provide an effective defense. The United States and Israel did not take part in the operation, although their strikes on Iranian and pro-Iranian forces affected the balance of power.
Why is the Omar Mosque in Daraa considered a symbolic starting point for the protests in March 2011, and what role did Daraa play in the subsequent escalation of the Syrian conflict? — The Omar Mosque (al-Omari) in Daraa became a symbol because, after teenagers were arrested for anti-regime graffiti in February and March 2011, protesters gathered at the mosque. On March 18, 2011, “Friday of Dignity,” security forces opened fire on the crowd, sparking widespread outrage. Daraa is considered the “cradle of the revolution”: protests spread from there to other cities, and the regime’s harsh response led to the militarization of the conflict. Later, Daraa remained one of the centers of confrontation, local ceasefires and sporadic fighting.
Who were Sami Haddad, Jamil Azar and Jamal Rayyan, whose names are listed among the journalists killed, and what role did they play in covering events in Syria and Gaza? — They were journalists who died while covering conflicts; the article names them among those killed. Sami Haddad and Jamil Azar were connected with the Syrian and Arab media landscape and covered events in Syria, while Jamal Rayyan is known as an Arab television journalist who covered the Middle East, including Gaza. Their work involved reporting from conflict zones and documenting events in Syria and Gaza.
Full version: "And We’re Still Telling the Story" ... Ceremony in Damascus marks 30th anniversary of Al Jazeera’s launch