The first part of the new issue of the Arab Radio Magazine provides a wide coverage of all the events organized by ASBU in Khartoum on the occasion of the 39th Session of its General Assembly and of the celebration of its 50th anniversary.
“ASBU and its General Assembly in New Sudan… an act of gratitude” is the title Director General, Eng. Abdelrahim Suleiman, has chosen for the editorial “Idha’at” in which, he wrote:
The hosting of the 39th Session of ASBU’s General Assembly and its accompanying events, as well as the celebration of its Golden Jubilee in the Sudanese capital Khartoum, constitute a major media event and a deeply significant milestone in ASBU history. Several considerations are involved here, chief among which are:
- The unprecedented honor that the highest authorities of New Sudan have bestowed upon ASBU since fifty years in this generous land, and has remained faithful to it and proud of the historic role it played in its foundation despite the difficult circumstances the Arab region was facing at that time.
- The gracious hospitality extended to all the Arab delegations and guests from brotherly and friendly countries, since their arrival in the “Confluence of the Two Niles”, and throughout their stay in the country.
The official opening and closing ceremonies of the General Assembly were held under the High Patronage of His Excellency Lt. Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, President of the Sovereignty Council of Sudan, and Dr. Abdalla Hamdok, Prime Minister of Sudan. The last stage of the commemoration ceremony of ASBU’s 50th anniversary was also placed under their hospitable auspices, giving this historic occasion radiance, uniqueness and influence that extend far beyond the confines of Sudan to reach all the Arab region and elsewhere.
This was the first regional and international event ever hosted in Sudan after the success of its glorious Revolution to bear a message of security, equanimity and stability, and express the will of the country to move full steam ahead towards construction and development, in order to achieve the aspirations of the Sudanese people for freedom, peace and justice.
We cannot fail to note the generous efforts of His Excellency Mr Faysal Mohammad Salah, Minister of Culture and Information, who was personally involved in the follow-up of all the planned activities, down to the finest details, as well as the dedication of his assistants and the people working in the Public Authority for Radio and Television. This has provided the best conditions for successfully implementing these activities and bringing about positive outcomes that will have a far-reaching impact on the future work, projects and programs of ASBU.
We are also immensely pleased to hear from the Honorable President of the Sovereignty Council and the Honorable Prime Minister that Sudan stands ready to strengthen its cooperation and enhance its relations with the ASBU in all areas.
In our turn, we can only stress our appreciation and support for this commendable noble stance. It is our conviction that such a stance reflects the belief of the victorious Sudanese leadership in the importance of the national mission that ASBU is carrying out in the service of its radio and television member-organizations, and its constant endeavor to take the performance of relevant professionals to a higher level.
Inspired by the brilliant successes highlighted in the “Khartoum Communiqué” issued in the aftermath of these two major events, ASBU has ushered in a new era that will hopefully make it more able to overcome obstacles and more determined to meet challenges.
We are all aware that the next step will not be without difficulties owing to the rapid developments taking place at various levels, i.e. media, programmatic, technological and communication. This requires us – Presidency, Directorate-General and member organizations of the Union – to make more concerted efforts and to expand opportunities for cooperation with our partners from regional and international broadcasting unions and professional organizations.
In the end, we would like to reiterate our heartfelt thanks and our profound gratitude to our beloved Sudan, which is again on the road to a date with history, adding a new chapter to its record, and relying on its fixed national identity to strengthen joint Arab action through one of its most influential and efficient fields, i. e. the audiovisual.
May Allah grant success...
This issue of the magazine features a number of articles falling under its concern with matters related to the field of audiovisual media and its relationship with modern communication technologies.
- Innovations in the field of communication technologies
- Internalization and standardization of terminology in Arab media
- Promoting independent audiovisual production in Europe (2)
- The Art of Drama: From Historical Narrative to Drama
- Cinema and Children in the Arab World
- Social Media: Platforms for familiarization and news
This issue concludes with the news of the death of Mr Slaheddine Maaoui, ASBU former Director General, and the publication of his most recent article “Follow-up to the Arab Space Landscape: Arab Media in the Midst of Controversial Changes” in his permanent column of the magazine.