A report on the annual meeting of ABNA News Agency staff

Friday, 03 February 2023

On Wednesday, February 1, 2023, the annual meeting of the staff of the ABNA International News Agency was held in the conference hall of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly in Qom. 

ABWA Official Website – On Wednesday, February 1, 2023, the annual meeting of the staff of the ABNA International News Agency was held in the conference hall of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly in Qom, with the presence of Ayatollah Ramazani, the Secretary General, Mr. Gholamreza Sharifi, Head of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly Office, and Hasan Sadrai Aref, CEO of ABNA News Agency.

In his speech at this meeting, while congratulating the birthday of Imam Javad (a.s.) and the anniversary of Imam Khomeini’s (r.a.) return to Iran, the Secretary General of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly expressed his satisfaction with the holding of the annual meeting of ABNA News Agency staff. 

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“ABNA News Agency can be the harbinger of the discourse of the Islamic Revolution and follow up the literature that the late Imam (r.a.) and Supreme Leader of the Revolution taught about the AhlulBayt (a.s.) school,” he added.

“Today we live in a special situation,” Ayatollah Ramazani stated, “To be active at the international level, we must be familiar with international standards. Elevating ABNA to a unique News Agency at the international level requires cooperation, empathy, and recognition of capacities; the fact that has not been properly used yet.”

The Secretary General of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly emphasized the need to identify and introduce important Shiite centers and figures to the world and went on to say, “If we can determine and follow a work package about the type of communication with local Assemblies, missionaries in different countries, as well as volunteer reporters, we will make good progress.”

While emphasizing the necessity of promoting the strategies of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) and the discourse of the Islamic Revolution in the areas of rationality, spirituality, justice, and cultural fields in the world, the member of the Assembly of Experts for Leadership emphasized added, “This is a heavy and crucial responsibility.” 

“ABNA News Agency, with its unique capacity of working in 26 languages, must be a news generator and have a news line,” Ayatollah Ramazani added, “Don’t look for the maximum audience, rather look for the audience in the world who are looking for the truth and follow the situation of Muslims and AhlulBayt (a.s.) followers all over the world.” 

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While expressing his gratitude for the efforts and activities of ABNA journalists, addressing them he said, “Make an agreement with yourself to prepare and send news packages on time, at the right situation, and with quality and quantity. You need to present the quality of internationality of the News Agency with the proximity and dialogical perspective.”

“Running away from religion or fighting against religion does not make sense because religion is the matter of Fitrah (man’s divine nature) and cannot be fought with. For 70 years, they tried to fight religion in the Eastern Bloc, but they failed,” emphasized the member of the Assembly of Experts for Leadership.

While highlighting the need to promote and develop media literacy and ethics in today’s generation, Ayatollah Ramazani emphasized, “We are surrounded by speedy developments in international equations, and we cannot stand still and give up. Therefore, the different dimensions of this issue must be explained and presented. To move fast in this direction, we need proper policy making.” 

At the end of his speech, by stating that Mr. Sadrai was appointed as the head of ABNA News Agency through meticulous study and research, the Secretary General of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly expressed hope that he, with the cooperation and synergy of staff and colleagues in ABNA and Policymaking Council of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly, to be successful in bringing the News Agency to the set objectives. 

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Further in this meeting, Hassan Sadrai Aref, head of ABNA News Agency, expressed his gratitude to ABNA colleagues who participated in this meeting from Qom and other provinces, as well as those colleagues who worked diligently and followed up in holding this meeting since few days ago.

Sadrai Arif appreciated Ayatollah Ramazani’s valuable recommendations and his spiritual gift which was decorated with the name and memory of Imam Hussain (a.s.) and went on to say, “This spiritual gift will give us a new spirit in ABNA and the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly.

“We are grateful for the diligence of all those who have worked in the Assembly’s media group at different levels of management, chief editor, editor, and reporter, since the inception of ABNA. We must preserve what we have inherited from the past and eliminate the shortcomings with the help of colleagues in ABNA and follow up on the improvement and transformation that is expected from ABNA,” he said. 

“More efforts are needed to introduce the AhlulBayt (a.s.) school in the world,” Sadrai Aref stated, “Working in a media outlet (ABNA) that is attributed to the name of AhlulBayt (a.s.) is of great importance and value.” 

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While emphasizing that the Assembly is not a political party, and it is in the name of AhlulBayt (a.s.), the head of ABNA News Agency emphasized, “Regardless of any political orientation, we are enthusiasts of the Islamic Revolution and Imam Khomeini (r.a.), the discourse and achievements of the Islamic Republic.”

“I deeply believe in all the friends who work in ABNA,” he emphasized, “There is a very good human capital in ABNA, and we will serve them with pride. We appreciate the efforts you have made so far, and we will see more developments with your cooperation.”

“We will follow the professional and support concerns of ABNA colleagues. The honorable Secretary General seriously supports ABNA News Agency and has shown this in practice in various ways,” stated the head of Ab ABNA News Agency.

“Currently, the assessment of ABNA News Agency in different languages is being carried out, and according to this assessment, a short-term and long-term development plan will be followed up,” Sadraei Aref further said.

Emphasizing the need to produce and pay attention to new media fields, the head of ABNA News Agency said, “A new step must be taken in the field of production, and also new measures must be taken in the field of emerging media.”

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As for his concerns in ABNA, he mentioned the sense of dignity and respect of colleagues in the News Agency, improving self-confidence in the work environment and also influencing the news articles. He expressed his hope that these matters will be followed up with the cooperation of colleagues in ABNA.

At the end of his speech, Sadrai Aref expressed hope, “The enthusiasm and professional notes of the colleagues in ABNA will please us and give us hope to achieve success in the transformational plan of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly.”

Further in this meeting, while expressing his satisfaction with holding the annual gathering of media colleagues of the Assembly, Mr. Gholamreza Sharifi, Director General of the Presidency Office of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly stated, “ABNA, as a news agency that has a brilliant history of nearly 19 years, has had many successes and achievements.”

“When ABNA was launched, there was a serious gap and there were few centers active in this field. At that time, the establishment of ABNA News Agency was somehow a new and innovative move that was unprecedented,” he added.

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While emphasizing the need for strong and efficient strategies in the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly, Sharifi added, “If we do not have an understanding of the international components, we will be easily omitted from the field of international activities.”

The Director General of the Presidency Office of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly expressed his hope that, with the approach of Mr. Sadrai, ABNA will look for effective and influential ideas.

“Being familiar with the capacities and synergies with other departments of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly is one of the demands of the Secretary General of the Assembly from ABNA News Agency. Other departments of the Assembly should be provided with the capacity of ABNA, and on the other hand, ABNA should make maximum use of the capacity of other departments,” he added.

In the end, while wishing success to Mr. Sadrai Aref, Sharifi expressed, “With his experience, background, and spirit in management, we hope to see synergy and a better outlook for ABNA News Agency.”

During this meeting, some staff members of ABNA News Agency expressed their issues and problems, as well as their opinions and suggestions in order to improve the News Agency. /345/

Ahl Al-Bayt World Assembly

The Ahl al-Bayt World Assembly  is an international non-governmental organization (INGO) that was established by a group of Shiite elites under the supervision of the great Islamic authority of the Shiites in 1990 to identify, organize, educate and support the followers of Ahl al-Bayt.

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