Hanan Al -Khalfan
In a world in which the truth has become a rare currency, and the media is a space that is contested by crowding and clamor, the Bahraini press remains a guardian of the country’s identity, a mirror of its conscience, and a free platform that tries – despite the challenges – to say what should be said. The press cannot be separated from the march of this country, nor from its political and social transformations, as it was always a witness to the moments of the rise and renewal, and the decisive role player in shaping awareness, and making public opinion.
The Bahraini press is not the result of the moment, but rather an extension of the history of the responsible free word, which was written in different circumstances, but it has been carrying an unimaginable affiliation within it, and loyalty is not imposed. Since its early beginnings, the press formed part of the features of the Bahraini identity, and a spacious space in which the citizen expressed his opinion, through which state institutions conveyed their messages, and the aspirations of a permanent society.
This scene would not have been crystallized had it not been for the existence of a leadership that believed in the word, embraced it, and gave it a capacity of responsible freedom, and confirmed on every occasion that the media is a partner who is not a continuation, and a basic component that cannot be overcome in any national project. His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, may God protect him, has always emphasized in his speeches the importance of free media as a pillar of the modern state, and the support of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, came to establish this through the policies and initiatives that were keen to enhance the position of the media within the sustainable development system.
And because the media is not only built with major visions, but by daily implementation and direct support, the Minister of Information was and still is present in the details of this scene, supporting press institutions, encouraging journalists, and initially to provide new platforms and wider spaces that keep pace with digital transformation, without losing the essence of the press message. This role was not limited to the technical or institutional structure, but also included the advancement of content and the launch of national dialogues about the future of the press, which are steps that reflect a real understanding of the nature of the challenges facing the sector.
In the midst of these transformations, the role of the Bahraini Journalists Association, which represents the beating heart of this profession, cannot be overlooked. The association has succeeded in being a home for journalists, not only by defending their rights or organizing their professional affairs, but by enhancing the spirit of belonging between them, and highlighting Bahrain’s journalist’s voice in regional and international forums. The association has proven that the power of the press not only comes from the platform, but from the unity of the class, the cohesion of the press body in the face of challenges, and the maintenance of the professional ethics from the inside.
On the practical side, Al -Watan newspaper embodies this audience steadily and professionally. Since its inception, it has chosen to be part of the daily awareness of the Bahrainis, write their language, touch their issues, and open the way for serious national pens. The homeland was not satisfied with the transmission of the event, but was involved in its analysis, and linked it to its local context, and presented through its pages a platform for the free, balanced opinion, which made it represent a model for what the press should be: professional, close to people, and open to the transformation without giving up values.
In this context, the press columns – including this column – remains a space for the responsible revelation, and a window from which the reader overlooks the news, the pulse of society, the anxiety of writers, and their critical sense. The article is not a moment of improvisation, but rather a constructive, in which the writer participates in the formulation of major questions, and in imagining possible answers. This makes the press a living public opinion, not a silent audience.
And if the digital transformation imposed on the press radical challenges, from the acceleration of the news to the explosion of the content, then the Bahraini press showed its ability to acclimate smart. Paper was not satisfied with the removal of the past, but rather started towards the future with new tools, a more open speech, and an awareness of technology to serve the profession, not emptying it from its essence. Here, the responsibility of the writers and journalists themselves is evident: to preserve the professional line, to express their societies in a language worthy of it, and to restore the press as a platform for knowledge, not excitement, and for consciousness, not indoctrination.
The Bahraini Press Day is not only suitable for celebration, but a moment of contemplation, gratitude and evaluation. Glory to those who wrote despite everything, and hopes for the future of a profession in which responsibilities intersect, evaluate the quality of what is presented, and its position from the conscience of the reader.
Frankly, and on this day, we stand in respect of every pen that did not hesitate to say what he really sees, and for every newspaper she chose to be with people not above them, and for every institution that adopted the press not as a tool, but as a value. We renew the covenant, to write no just because we write, but to preserve the truth for its position, the word is its honor, and the country has its voice.
