The mission will go on [Archives:2005/820/Viewpoint]

Editor
As you have read in the front page of this edition of Yemen Times, I am leaving my post as Editor-in-Chief of Yemen Times starting tomorrow, March 1.

Just like in any profession, change is inevitable and that is true for The Yemen Times, which from tomorrow onwards will be led by a young female journalist, Nadia Abdulaziz Al-Saqqaf.

I believe this would signal a new beginning for the newspaper, particularly in supporting females in journalism. This will be one of the few instances where a private Yemeni newspaper is led by a female Editor-in-Chief. It may, in fact, be one of the Arab world's few pioneering steps, and should certainly be encouraged.

During my work as Editor-in-Chief of Yemen Times since June 2nd 1999, many things have changed internally with the newspaper, locally in Yemen, and globally throughout the world. I feel blessed for having encountered many wonderful people and so many interesting experiences.

I am grateful to all those readers who sent emails and messages to me during this time. Many of the letters had harsh criticism, some were encouraging, and others were constructive comments and suggestions. Those readers have contributed tremendously to the status of The Yemen Times as an arena of different opinions from Yemen and the world.

There are many memories that I will dearly hold on to. But I also have ambitions to develop my own intellectual, academic, and professional capabilities. I believe that life is a learning process and no one can ever get enough, no matter how he tries.

For me, it has been an ongoing learning experience: writing, editing, interviewing, managing, and performing other duties to have added significantly to my professional skills and enabled me to broaden my horizon and understanding of the world we live in. It was my destiny to be a journalist, and it was my fate to lead this newspaper in particular. It is also destined that I leave the newspaper with issue No (820), just like the issue number is destined to correspond to my birth date (August 20).

I also cannot forget the assistance that I received both on a professional and personal level from the clients and advertisers of the newspaper who spared no effort to ensure that the newspaper remains independent and truthful in its reporting.

They realized that if the newspaper maintains the path that its founder had drawn, it will continue to grow and flourish and reach the masses, but if it is bought by a government agency or depends on others for financing, it will collapse, at least from the viewpoint of the general public.

Finally, I also take this opportunity to express to the newspaper staffers my utmost gratitude for standing strong with me throughout both difficult and good times. The moment I took office in 1999 following the horrific car accident that killed the newspaper's founder, Professor Abdulaziz Al-Saqqaf, I realized that it is the staff who would do most of the work. It is these members of the team who were able to make the newspaper stand on its feet and continue against all odds.

I will be miss both my work and the staff. I will miss the excitement when getting a scoop for the front page, and the delight I see when Yemen Times' sales increase and its credibility is enhanced. I will miss the discussions, and even arguments that I used to have with my journalists on where we need to define the line, and why we should cross it.

I will always miss the adrenalin-driven adventures when covering major events such as the USS Cole bombing, kidnappings, and other incidents. And I will definitely miss staying late ensuring that everything is set to be printed on time, and going back tired, just to feel overwhelmingly satisfied that another issue was sent to press.

It's difficult to find oneself, even temporarily, taken away from the job you loved and lived with for more than six years. But this is life. We need to go on. And The Yemen Times will go on. It continued after the death of its founder and idol, and now it will continue without myself.

One other thing is for sure. Every issue that comes out after I leave will remind me of the times that I used to be the Editor-in-Chief who once led this magnificent enterprise and helped it become what it is today.

So I would like to say, 'Good bye' for now to all of you. And please remember that The Yemen Times is destined to continue. So it will.

Editors come and go. But the spirit of the founder remains.

So does the mission.
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