Sam*, an Iranian Christian who now works for SAT-7 PARS, shares his journey in search of a loving God, from drug addiction and despair to a new life in Christ. “When I was around 9 years old, I really loved God. I thought that participating in ceremonies and feasts would help me get closer to Him. I was given more […]
In search of a loving God: Sam’s story
THE MIDDLE EAST BRIEFING – MARCH 2021
For once, this month global media attention was drawn to the region for positive reasons. The visit of Pope Francis to Iraq shone a light on a community hoping for healing and reconciliation and on the historic presence of Christians in the Middle East. In Iraq, this month saw the first ever visit of a Vatican Pope. Despite security and […]
POPE’S HISTORIC VISIT TO IRAQ
Over the weekend of 5-8 March, SAT-7 aired live the first ever visit by a Roman Catholic Pope to Iraq. Described by the Pope as “a pilgrimage of peace”, the historic visit aimed to bring hope and consolation to the peoples of post-war Iraq and recognition to Christians across the region. Parthians and Mesopotamians (from what is now Iraq) were […]
SAT-7 PROGRAMME SAVES BABY’S LIFE
A mercy mission and last-minute surgery arranged by the SAT-7 programme You Are Not Alone was recently able to save the life of a young Syrian refugee baby. A follow-up visit to the family reminded SAT-7 viewers that the lives of Syrians affected by a ten-year civil war remain precarious and the most vulnerable continue to suffer the most. Baby […]
“My School” innovations will address education emergency
A decade into the Syrian civil war, a humanitarian crisis continues to beleaguer Syrians and refugee host countries. Tenuous infrastructures and economies are buckling further under the pressure of pandemic shutdowns. The educational brand SAT-7 ACADEMY has adapted to this emergency, mobilising cutting-edge teaching models to support children. The threatening mantra uttered by Assad loyalists at the beginning of the […]
Celebrating 25 years of SAT-7
2021 marks 25 years since SAT-7’s first-ever broadcast – 25 years of making God’s love visible to millions of people across the MENA. To commemorate, SAT-7 will be hosting a series of online open studio events. Starting on 31 May 1996, SAT-7 aired just two hours of Arabic-language programmes each week. With very limited equipment and space, it took five […]
Speaking out for minority rights
As refugee and minority rights remain under threat in their region, Middle Eastern Christians counter discrimination with a message of God’s love. From Iran and Afghanistan to countries across the Arab World, SAT-7 programmes promote acceptance and full human rights in many contexts where minorities face injustice. “Whether we are Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek, or Turkmen, all of us are made one […]
Hope in life for rural Algerian women “born to die”
In this moving blog, SAT-7’s Algerian producer Samia Kessai shares how the challenges of life in North African villages leave women saying, “We were born to die.” Through her programmes, Kessai wants to show that God says these women deserve life – and life in abundance. I have seen nothing in my life. I first opened my eyes here, in […]
THE BRIEFING – FEBRUARY 2021
The people of the Middle East often seem to have more than their share of the world’s tragedies. Some make it to the news, others barely, but all leave deep scars and questions of whether their lives have value, or whether they and their families have a safe and prosperous future. Last weekend, a fuel tanker explosion at an Iran–Afghanistan […]
“Backstage” drama promotes empathy and equality
Stigma in the Middle East comes in many forms. Infertility, skin colour, disability, being adopted, being a lone parent or a member of a minority faith. In cultures where shame and honour play a big part, these and other characteristics divide and rank people in many people’s eyes. That’s why Backstage, a new SAT-7 ARABIC drama series, is immersing viewers […]