As a 20-year war led by US forces against the Taliban draws to an end in Afghanistan, concerns grow for the safety of the civilian population in the light of Taliban advances. Meanwhile, basic needs for water, food and fuel are uppermost in minds in Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon. Two decades ago, in response to the 9/11 attacks by al-Qaeda, […]
Complex histories, changing borders, migrations, and multiple ethnicities and languages mean that the Church in the Middle East and North Africa is a mosaic of different Christian communities. Sometimes the relationships between them don’t reflect the unity Jesus envisaged for His Church (John 17:21). Sometimes they just don’t know each other! One of the benefits of SAT-7’s ministry over 25 […]
1 July 2021 As thousands of women in Turkey prepare to protest the country’s formal exit on 1 July from the Istanbul Convention, an international treaty to prevent violence against women, Gülsüm I., Deputy Executive Director of SAT-7 TÜRK, shares how the channel supports women to know their legal rights to protection from domestic abuse. “Please pray for women in […]
The results of two recent elections – in Iran and Israel – are set to have a major impact on the future of the region. In Iran, Ebrahim Raisi, the head of the country’s judiciary, will become the next president in August. Presidential elections on 18 June saw the lowest turnout since the founding of the Republic in 1979. But […]
Sadly, the Middle East only seems to get the world’s attention when there are heartbreaking events to report. The last week has been no exception. Protests over the threatened evictions of Palestinians in Jerusalem and violence at the Temple Mount/Noble Sanctuary made for a febrile atmosphere over the Ramadan festival. This escalated with the firing of missiles at Israeli cities […]
As Turkey records its highest number of COVID-19 related deaths this week, Gülsüm, Deputy Executive Director of SAT-7 TÜRK shares how one year on, the pandemic is affecting people in the country and how SAT-7 TÜRK is uniquely positioned to be a light of God’s hope. “People are scared, and they are tired, because it feels like the pandemic and […]
The Middle Eastern Christian communities that follow the western calendar came together this Easter to remind themselves of Christ’s victory over death and the coming of God’s kingdom in a broken world. Continuing conflicts and rivalries showed it’s a message that is much needed in the region. Thousands of Christians in Jerusalem processed down the Mount of Olives in the […]
As many countries face a new surge of COVID-19, SAT-7’s special Easter programming in Arabic, Farsi, and Turkish helps viewers find new hope and life at the foot of the Cross. “This Easter, when so many churches remain unable to meet – whether we are praying at home or connecting to worship services on our televisions or online – Iet […]
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 […]
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 […]
