Please send us your comments and ideas Happy Birthday to us! [Archives:2002/11/Reportage]

Mohammed Khidhr
Yemen Times
Deputy Editor-in-Chief
On February 28, 2002 the Yemen Times English-language weekly had blown out its 11th candle.
That marked 11 years of steady progress in the domain of English-language journalism in Yemen, where the Times is the first and leading English publication.
To observe and celebrate this event, the newspaper gave a party at the Taj Sheba Hotel in Sana’a on March 4, inviting officials, diplomats, local and foreign journalists and representatives of various organizations and business establishments in Yemen to share in the joy of the occasion.
The Times seized this opportunity to thank our respected guests who shard the occasion with us.
This is the third time for me to take part in this yearly occasion of the newspaper since I joined its staff in late 1999. Each time I have seen something different, of course for the better.
I don’t mean technical or program differences, but rather differences in the themes. Evidently, observing anniversaries has two significant objectives.
One is to evaluate what we have done in the period that has just elapsed taking into consideration all its aspects of success and failure and the reasons for them.
The second goal is to try to strengthen the elements of success, while at the same time study reasons of failure in order to find the best solutions.
In the light of such efforts, we draw up our next plans for more progress in our work.
The press is one of the most important pillars of society, but its job is not an easy one. Its job is a process of educating the public in culture, political, economic, and social trends, and offer the public its opinions.
It is quite a different industry whose tools and means of production are dependent on a special kind of raw material derived from not only the culture that surrounds it but also good knowledge and a clean conscience.
The objective is not material profits, but the creation of intelligent and well-informed reports.
The press represents the most apparent and effective form of the freedom of expression and without it all other human liberties would be under a blackout.
Nobody would be aware of violations of human rights committed in any society. Therefore its role is very significant as it shows the reality of the condition of various societies.
Human rights defenders and the press have an interactive relationship and a common interest, and thus part of the job of human rights organizations is to in turn d advocate the freedom of press and freedom of expression.
Going back to observing the Yemen Times founding anniversary, we dare say in this year it has acquired a special distinction. It has coincided with the already recent development the editorial board has effected regarding the form and content of the newspaper.
The newspaper is keen to satisfy as much as possible its readership’s needs pertaining to local and world news coverage, opinions and news analyzes, local and world. Thus issue No. 7 on 11 Feb. 2002 represents the inauguration of the new development stage of the newspaper and a turning-point as new pages of various topics have been introduced to its readers. Of course we would not suffice ourselves with this but we will be always thinking of new ideas and plans for further development in our serving of our readers.
So we are now asking our readers to send us responses and opinions and ideas about what we have already achieved, and what proposals they think would be appropriate to lead to more progress.
Any and all written responses will be considered, nd we look forward to your ideas.
Amid our celebration, wed also like to remember the tremendous contribution made by this papers founder, the late Dr Abdul al-Saqqaf.
It is our duty as staff members and readers to thank him for the legacy he has left, and the example he set for us to follow.
As staff, we make a pledge to the the late Dr. al-Saqqaf and our readers that we will continue to progress and be of service to our community.
Again I wish the newspaper and my honorable colleagues the best and say happy birthday to them all.

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