Finding truth on the big screen
February 2018As an alternative to the scandal-hit Hollywood film industry, SAT-7 recently began screening a series that introduces viewers to some of the best Arab-language films that offer valuable and truthful insights into human experience. Cinema Style is presented by Fr Botros Daniel, the head of the Egyptian Catholic Centre Cinema Festival (ECCCF). This annual showcase of films began in 1952, […]
Iran youth show aims to break negative view of religion
February 2018Religious faith has a bad image among Iran’s young adults and it’s easy to see why. Tight restrictions and harsh penalties imposed by its clerical leaders and enforced by religious police give many a very negative impression of belief – and not just their own. According to Moe Pooladfar – producer of a new SAT-7 youth show for the Persian […]
Tackling violence in schools
February 2018Hard-hitting issues Ethics, good manners, respect to one another, co-existence…We need those values in the Middle East.” This was the comment from guest Paul Sayah, Archeparch of the Maronite Church and Curial Bishop of the Maronite Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch, when he shared his hope for SAT-7’s newest channel, SAT-7 ACADEMY, upon its launch in September last year. SAT-7 ACADEMY […]
Reforming attitudes to disability
January 2018“Thank you, Lord, for changing the bitterness in my life to singing.” 28-year-old Waheed Ata broke into this spontaneous and heartfelt prayer as he shared his life story with viewers of SAT-7 ARABIC’s programme, Reforming. Left blind for life after contracting meningitis as a baby, Waheed – like so many others with a disability in the Middle East and North […]
The Briefing – January 2018
January 2018While 2017 saw military power finally overwhelm the territorial ambitions of so-called Islamic State, the lasting effects of conflict, continuing struggles between regional powers, and increasingly forceful policies being pursued by some mean that this is set to be another challenging year for the region. Iran made headlines at the turn of the year in a way that no-one had […]
Faith on fire – in Beirut and the Bekaa
January 2018I first met Abou Younes* when he came along to the Life Center Beirut looking for help with food. His journey to Beirut had begun with a harrowing escape from Daesh/Islamic State and involved selling the last of his possessions to pay a smuggler to take his large family across the Syrian border into Lebanon. They just had the […]
Miss Egypt promotes inner beauty on SAT-7
Inner and outer beauty A recent episode of SAT-7 ARABIC show Needle and New Thread shared a Christian attitude to beauty from a somewhat surprising source. Sandra Saeed, crowned Miss Egypt International 2016, appeared on the popular women’s talk show to discuss the topic of inner and outer beauty. “Some people get their value from relationships, the car they drive, […]
First on-scene footage after Islamic State leaves Raqqa, Syria
January 2018SAT-7 airs prayers for peace in city that became synonymous with cruelty and death In early December, Middle East Christian broadcaster SAT-7 and associate ministry Light for All Nations (LFAN) Ministries filmed the first on-the-ground footage in Raqqa, Syria since so-called Islamic State militants left. The two networks co-produced the documentary, Al Raqqa: between Yesterday and Today, presenting a message […]