It was UK Prime Minister Harold Macmillan who, in 1958, tweaked a Winston Churchill statement to say “jaw-jaw is better than war-war”. Happily, this month sees some examples – though not enough – of renewed dialogue bringing hope of peace and democracy to parts of the Middle East. News that US President Joe Biden is set to visit Saudi Arabia […]
THE MIDDLE EAST BRIEFING – JUNE 2022
NEW FESTIVAL NURTURES FILM-MAKING THAT CHANGES LIVES
Films and TV drama have the power to change our view of the world – from how we look at history and events (think Braveheart or Belfast), how we see life (It’s a Wonderful Life or The Pursuit of Happyness), or how we understand the lives of people whose experience is quite different from ours (The Theory of Everything or […]
HELPING AFGHANS TO FIND HOPE AND FREEDOM
Escalating restrictions on women’s freedoms, a return to repressive rule, broken promises for girls’ education, a collapsed economy, and one of the worst humanitarian crises of today’s world. All these have stripped people in Afghanistan of their hopes for the future. SAT-7 PARS is ramping up its efforts and making new connections to respond to these increasingly desperate needs. “Truly the people […]
Christian media pioneer honoured for Kingdom impact
30 May 2022 The pioneering Christian media work of SAT-7 Founder and President, Dr Terence Ascott, has been recognised in the presentation of a Labib Madanat Kingdom Impact Award. The award honours “men and women whose self-sacrificing and courageous endeavours have conferred eternal benefit on thousands and thousands of people in the Greater Middle East, helping them on their journey […]
The Middle East Briefing – May 2022
Last weekend (15 May) citizens of Lebanon voted in parliamentary elections, for the first time since the 2019 “17 October Protests” over economic mismanagement and the unaccountability of political elites. There was much uncertainty over this election despite the wholesale anger with sitting politicians who are blamed for Lebanon’s economic crisis and its 2020 Beirut explosion. Former Prime Minister Saad […]
The Christian martyr’s niece who shares God’s love for the women of Iran
SAT-7 PARS presenter Rozita Hovsepian comes from a Christian family that has long played a prominent part in the growth of the Iranian Church. She tells us about the family life that shaped her and recalls the day she heard God’s call to ministry – at the funeral of her murdered uncle. Newly-weds Rozita and Michael arrived at passport control […]
“WE ARE RESILIENT – BUT FOR HOW LONG?”: VOICES FROM BEIRUT
I have just returned from Beirut, Lebanon. With the elections looming this weekend, the city is plastered with banners and posters of the different political parties, their colours and slogans on massive billboards along the highways. This is the first election since the Port explosion in Beirut on 4 August 2020. The government resigned following the explosion but have remained […]
“I could finally breathe easily”: a voice from Egypt’s Church
What is it like to practise your faith when your freedom of belief is under threat? Our Cairo-based Communications Officer Mary Joseph shares her experience of living through a time when Christians in Egypt have felt additionally vulnerable. A few weeks into Lent, as Christians were immersed in daily church prayers and charitable activities, they were hit with the news […]
Middle East media pioneer to share highlights of 50 years of ministry
Dr Terence Ascott, the Founder and President of Middle East and North Africa media ministry, SAT-7, will be sharing the story behind his new book Dare to Believe! Stories of Faith from the Middle East at a series of UK events beginning in May. After arriving in the Middle East, initially to start a literature ministry from Beirut in 1973, […]
Iranian woman learns to forgive through SAT-7 PARS
Through its programmes and dedicated viewer support teams, SAT-7’s Persian-language channel SAT-7 PARS has been serving viewers in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan for over 15 years. Laleh*, an Iranian viewer of SAT-7 PARS, recently described how the channel has helped her grow in faith and find peace in Christ: “Greetings to all the beloved at SAT-7 PARS. I wanted to […]