SAT-7’s Farsi language channel, SAT-7 PARS, is now live on Yahsat, which is one of the most viewed satellite platforms in Iran. Yahsat has attracted an estimated 10 million viewing households in the country. “This has been our dream for several years as Yahsat is an increasingly popular satellite with Iranians and it will enable us to interact with a […]
Jordan: working together to meet the cries
Local partners Population: 6.5 million (plus up to 3 million refugees); 92% Sunni Muslim; 6% Christian; 2% Shiite Muslim/Druze Literacy: 98.5% men; 97.5% women Despite its small size and lack of natural resources, Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, plays a significant role in the Middle East, lying between Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iraq and the Holy Lands. Jordan is […]
Lebanon: the cry for unity and tolerance
A unique country Population: 6.2 million; 27% Sunni Muslim, 27% Shia Muslim, 40.5% Christian, 5.5% Druze Literacy: 96% men 91.8% women Lebanon is unique in the Arab world for the relative size of its Christian population and its cultural diversity; with Christians enjoying considerable freedom in sharing their faith. The capital, Beirut, is home to SAT-7’s largest studio, where many of […]
Morocco: the cry for wisdom from a generation under pressure
Young and hopeless Population: 31 million; 99% Sunni Muslim; <1% Jewish; <1% Christian Literacy: 82% men; 62% women With a median age of 29, Morocco has a young population. But like youths in neighbouring North African countries, their horizons are limited. Some 22 per cent of young men and 38 per cent of young women are unemployed (Al-Monitor, June 2013). […]
Syria: The cry of refugees for an education
A generation out of school Population: 17.2 million; 87% Muslim, 10% Christian, 3% Druze Literacy: 91.7% men, 81% women In the six years since Syria’s civil war began, over 11 million citizens have fled their homes and moved elsewhere in the country or crossed borders as refugees. Some 1 in 3 children have known only war during their lives and […]
THE BRIEFING – May 2017: Solidarity with a Church under fire
As the military war against so-called Islamic State enters a new phase, on the Church front, Christian leaders made bridge-building visits to the region’s beleaguered church communities. The Syrian civil war entered a new phase this week, with the decision of President Trump to arm the Kurdish-led Syrian Defence Forces (SDF) with heavy weapons in preparations for the campaign to […]
North African youth: struggle and opportunity
For decades North Africa’s young people have pushed against social, economic and religious restrictions. A Moroccan Christian shares their struggles and the new paths some are finding as they turn to Christ. Ever since they shook off European rule or “mandates” between 1951 and 1962, the five countries forming Northwest Africa (known collectively as the “Maghreb”) have not served their […]
The Briefing – April 2017
This Easter, as we remembered the death and resurrection of our Saviour, world events continued to present us with the sharp contrasts of suffering and hope – the darkness of the present moment and the promise that all things will be made new in Christ. It’s a message that is more important than ever for the people of the Middle […]
The invisible front line
There is more than one way of being on the front line of ministry in SAT-7. While scores of the TV network’s presenters have become trusted and familiar friends through their regular appearance on screen, there is a front line that is less visible but equally important. It involves sitting beside a phone and a computer monitor. Members of SAT-7 […]
Sharing the hope of the Resurrection with the suffering Church
“The message of Easter is one of hope, victory, and love for all humankind. This is the message that the SAT-7 PARS channel wants to share and impart to its viewers through our Easter programming,” says Senior Manager Panayiotis Keenan. Many Christians in the Farsi-speaking world face persecution for their faith; attending church or celebrating Easter is prohibited for Iranians […]