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 […]
Speaking out for minority rights
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 […]
Denmark backs SAT-7 project to build social cohesion between refugees and host communities in Lebanon
15 February 2020 The Danish Government has granted funding to a major SAT-7-led project, called Lebanon – Our Story, aimed at driving social cohesion by helping young people from a variety of backgrounds, including Syrian refugees, to develop a shared narrative of hope for the future. In recognition of the multiple crises enveloping Lebanon and how these would deepen after […]
SAT-7’s Lebanon team offer solidarity in healthcare crisis
Six months on from the Beirut blast, the pandemic is pushing Lebanon’s healthcare system, and its economy, to breaking point. SAT-7’s Beirut team have one message for their fellow Lebanese they deal with multiple overlapping crises: no matter their suffering, they are not alone, and God has not forgotten them. “It is the hardest thing to turn away a patient […]
SAT-7 pays tribute to Algerian massacre survivor and long-serving priest
SAT-7 Founder, Dr Terence Ascott, has paid tribute to French priest Father Thierry Becker, who escaped death several times during Algeria’s brutal armed conflict of the 1990s, but passed away on 25 January. Fr Becker (age 86) dedicated 60 years of his life to serving the Algerian people and represented North Africa’s Catholic Christians on the SAT-7 International Board in […]
First Middle East on-demand Christian video service launched to attract young audience
At midday on Monday 22 February SAT-7 launches the Middle East’s first on-demand Christian video streaming service. Available worldwide in multiple languages, the new SAT-7 PLUS platform will enable the ministry to bring the message of the Gospel to a wider audience in the region, including a growing younger demographic who prefer to watch content via mobile devices. “I am […]
Bereaved mother shares her testimony of forgiveness
Sereen* from Lebanon, whose daughter was tragically killed, shared her brave and powerful story on SAT-7 ARABIC programme Spiritual Evening. Presented by two well-known Lebanese figures with their own amazing stories of transformation, the show offers Christ’s hope to large audiences through testimonies and worship music. “I am a mother of two children. I was a committed Christian, but I […]
Trading stigma for hope in Tajikistan
After struggling with mental health issues, both Dr Isana and Inna* experienced healing and found peace in Jesus Christ. Now, the SAT-7 PARS presenters seek to improve awareness of mental health issues in Tajikistan, and witness to God’s hope, through a new programme in the Tajik dialect of Persian. “I have personally experienced clinical depression,” shares Dr Isana, presenter of the upcoming […]