5 September 2019
Helping Hands – the Lives of Atomic Bomb Orphans (September 21)
Some 6,500 children are believed to have lost their parents when the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima in 1945, Many wandered the streets. Some died of hunger and disease, but others were able to survive thanks to helping hands. A number of Americans backed a movement to support the orphans. In South Korea, poor people helped a parentless child with love, as if they were all family. The programme shows the good will that war could not destroy.
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS:
Future Princes of Ballet (Part I September 20; Part II September 21)
A teenage boy of Japanese descent is working to make his mark at one of the world’s top ballet schools. Aaron Osawa-Horowitz is studying with legendary dancer Nikolay Tsiskaridze, the rector of the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet. Tsiskaridze is known for his strictness, and Osawa-Horowitz hope to rise to the challenge. Tune in to see how he and his classmates cooperate and compete at the graduation performance at Mariinsky Theatre.
(Source: NHK World TV)
4 September 2019
The TRT World Forum 2019 will be taking place on October 21st and 22nd in Istanbul. The theme of this year’s Forum is “Globalisation in Retreat: Risks and Opportunities”.
TRT World Forum will bring together politicians, policy makers, academics, journalists, and leading experts. The forum will highlight the most pressing global issues of our time.
Among the participants of this year’s Forum, which will include international opinion leaders as well as distinguished figures in global politics are María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, President of the United Nations Parliament Assembly for the 73rd session, Dilma Vana Rousseff, former President of Brazil, Anwar Ibrahim, The People’s Justice Party Leader in Malaysia, Yanis Varoufakis, the main opposition leader in Greece, George Ciamba, , Romanian Delegate-Minister for European affairs, Christian Kern, former Chancellor of Austria, Esko Aho, former Finnish Prime Minister and Riyad Farid Hijab, former Syrian Prime Minister.
İbrahim Eren: “TRT World Forum has become a global brand”
İbrahim Eren, Director General and Chairman of TRT, stated that “TRT World Forum has become a world brand since its launch in 2017”. Eren added “In addition to being a public broadcasting media, TRT is also a platform in search of solutions to global problems. The Forum has become an ambitious brand in the third year and will continue to pursue success in the same way.”
The Forum attracts global thinkers
TRT World Forum is seeking solutions to current cultural, political, economic and social problems. It will build on its success over the last two years in hosting eye-opening conversations with world leaders, activists, leading experts and opinion leaders.
The Forum, which will take place under the theme of “Globalisation in Retreat: Risks and Opportunities” will hold over 30 sessions over two days to discuss the issues that occupy the world agenda. Issues to be addressed include political, economic and social issues that concern the entire world, such as far-right terrorism, the rise of populism and nationalism, the future of the Middle East, trade wars, future of the European Union and the cooperation of emerging powers.
(Source: TRT press release)
3 September 2019
The ancient “Katta Langar” Qur’an, named after the Uzbek village – its centuries-long home – is the subject of a 40-minute documentary now live on the website bbc.com/uzbek and the BBC News Uzbek YouTube channel. In Katta Langar Qur’oni izidan (In search of Katta Langar Qur’an) BBC News Uzbek teams up with Uzbekistan’s popular TV channel, Sevimli TV, to trace the twists and turns in the life of the unique manuscript.
The documentary editor, BBC News Uzbek’s Diloram Ibrahimova, says: “Telling the story of the rare 8th century Qur’an demanded great sensitivity and a very careful approach. Our film is a culmination of months-long collaboration between BBC News Uzbek and Sevimli TV and showcases the expertise and creativity of the BBC teams in London and Sevimli TV film crew in Tashkent.”
The idea of the joint project came from the Head of Sevimli TV, Firdavs Abdukhalikov, following the signing of a memorandum of understanding on editorial collaboration with BBC News Uzbek. He supported the project from the start. Throughout the month of Ramadan, as the documentary was being filmed, Sevimli TV featured daily primetime series in which the fascinating discoveries made by the joint team were shared with the channel’s viewers. Firdavs Abdukhalikov says: “Our joint project is a great contribution to the research into the ‘Katta Langar’ Qur’an. I am really happy that Sevimli TV viewers can now watch the BBC News Uzbek film about this manuscript that is unique in the Muslim world.”
Joint BBC and Sevimli TV team travelled to the remote mountainous village of Katta Langar in Uzbekistan, home to the manuscript considered to be one of the very first written versions of the Qur’an. The documentary presenter and producer, Luiza Iskandariy, says: “It was fascinating to learn how this little village harboured its great treasure. Throughout our journey every new discovery kept adding new questions and intricacies to our story, also reflecting the history of the region.”
The film probes various explanations of how the “Katta Langar” Qur’an appeared in Central Asia and how its pages ended up in different countries. Luiza speaks with the villagers whose ancestors and relatives trace their proud guardianship from the 15th century. The cherished manuscript, which survived a journey from Arabia via Iran and Afghanistan to Central Asia, was seized many times – by the colonising tsarist Russian army, by the KGB in the Soviet times, and finally, for safekeeping by newly independent state of Uzbekistan. The investigation also takes the joint crew to an Uzbek village whose residents claim their ancestry from the Arabian Peninsula and still display elements of the Arab culture.
The documentary establishes that the bulk of the missing pages – a total of 81 – are kept in the St Petersburg Institute of Oriental Manuscripts. Twelve pages are in treasury of the Spiritual Directorate of the Muslims of Uzbekistan in Tashkent while random pages are in other locations in Tashkent, and in a museum and a library in Bukhara. An estimated hundred pages of the “Katta Langar” Qur’an are still unaccounted for.
Now live on the BBC News Uzbek website, Katta Langar Qur’oni izidan will air on Sevimli TV this week. It also will be broadcast on BBC News Uzbek TV partner station in Afghanistan, Arezo TV.
BBC News Uzbek, which has a weekly reach of 2.3m across platforms, offers content tailored for Uzbek-speakers in Uzbekistan as well as Afghanistan and the rest of the world, and is one of the largest international news providers in the region. In addition to the website bbc.com/uzbek, BBC News Uzbek connects with audiences via Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter and Odnoklassniki as well as Telegram. The BBC’s 10-minute TV news bulletin for Uzbek-speakers in Afghanistan has a weekly audience of 1.8 million.
BBC News Uzbek is part of BBC World Service.
(Source: BBC press release)
28 August 2019
As Reporters Without Borders (RSF) reports on its website, two more murders in August have brought the number of journalists killed in connection with their work in Mexico in 2019 to at least ten, confirming Mexico’s status as the world’s deadliest country for the media. In the absence of a strong reaction from the government, RSF offers its recommendations on how to address this extreme level of violence and the almost total impunity.
More than 90% of the crimes of violence against journalists in Mexico go unpunished, fuelling the vicious cycle of violence and impunity. It was for this reason that, in March 2019, RSF asked the International Criminal Court to look into the impunity for murders and disappearances of journalists from 2006 to 2018, under President López Obrador’s two predecessors, Felipe Calderón and Enrique Peña Nieto.
In response to the surge in the number of journalists murdered in 2019, RSF has provided the Mexican authorities, including the president’s office, with its recommendations on the measures that need to be taken.
RSF recommends that the Mexican authorities should:
1) Reinforce journalists’ safety:
– By improving the effectiveness and response time of the Federal Mechanism for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists, increasing its human and financial resources and enhancing its role in preventing risks, especially in the most dangerous states.
– By rapidly implementing the recommendations of the “Diagnosis of the Functioning of the Mechanism”, that the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights gave to the Mexican authorities on 29 July and made public on August 26.
– By implementing a general policy for taking care of journalists and family members who are the victims of forced displacement.
2) Reinforce investigative resources
Given that the Special Prosecutor’s Office for Crimes against Freedom of Expression (FEADLE) will soon be incorporated into a new Special Prosecutor’s Office for Human Rights, there is an urgent need to:
– Reinforce the FEADLE’s prerogatives and its human and financial resources.
– Quickly release the new guidelines for FEADLE investigations into crimes of violence against journalists and explain how the FEADLE’s decisions can be appealed.
– Encourage the FEADLE to make full use of its power under article 21 of the criminal code to transfer investigations into crimes against freedom of expression from the local to the federal level. RSF is of the view that this power should be used without delay in three of this year’s murder cases, those of Ruíz, Sarabia and Romero.
– Ensure that the new Approved Protocol for Investigating Crimes against Freedom of Expression, adopted in October 2018, is effectively applied.
– Ensure that the new Special Prosecutor’s Office for Human Rights – of which the FEADLE will be a section – quickly establishes close contacts with civil society organizations in order to discuss the new goals and challenges.
Mexico is ranked 144th out of 180 countries in RSF’s 2019 World Press Freedom Index.
(Source: RSF)
31 July 2019
- ‘Inheritance’ will be produced in Abu Dhabi and is expected to air in 2020
- Long-running British show ‘EastEnders’ former writer and showrunner Tony Jordan attached as creator of ’Inheritance’
- ‘Inheritance’ is latest milestone in twofour54’s longstanding partnership with MBC Studios and Image Nation Abu Dhabi
twofour54 Abu Dhabi, MBC Studios and Image Nation Abu Dhabi today announced a new partnership to produce the world’s first Arabic-language soap opera ‘Inheritance’.
Under the agreement, a dedicated studio will be built for the show in Abu Dhabi which will serve as the main location for filming. twofour54 will invest directly in the production, and MBC is set to benefit from the Abu Dhabi Film Commission’s 30% rebate on production spend in the Emirate. Both parties will work closely with Image Nation Abu Dhabi on talent and script development for the project.
The show’s unique format sets it apart from other Arabic shows in the region. By definition, a soap opera is an open-ended narrative that continues with multiple story lines for years – in some cases, decades. At present, while there are many Arabic drama series, none are scheduled to run indefinitely.
Anchoring a long-term production in the UAE will have a significant positive impact on Abu Dhabi’s thriving media and production industry. The soap opera is slated to shoot for more than 250 days of the year, and the production team estimate the show will generate over 200 jobs in the first year alone. ‘Inheritance’ is expected to act as a magnet, creating the demand and work that will attract new companies to Abu Dhabi to support the development of a landmark production.
H.E. Maryam Eid AlMheiri, Vice Chair of twofour54, said: “Partnering with MBC Studios and Image Nation to produce the world’s first Arab soap opera is truly a landmark moment in Arab entertainment industry and cultural history. Over recent years, twofour54 has worked tirelessly to enhance the film and TV industry and attract talented filmmakers, writers, and actors to consider Abu Dhabi as a filming location. It’s imperative that these talents are supported by world-class infrastructure, regulations, and services. This is what we have aimed to do at twofour54, and our work with some of the biggest global content producers – from Disney to Netflix – is testament to our thriving ecosystem. The creation of ‘Inheritance’ is an indication of our region’s rapidly growing media and entertainment industry and will serve as a catalyst to inspire the next generation of storytellers to create more original Arabic content.”
Peter Smith, Managing Director – MBC Studios said: “twofour54 has overseen numerous productions from all parts of the world, offering producers a unique support system and production infrastructure while also excelling in Arabic-language content. We are thrilled to have agreed to a long-term production deal – the first of its kind in the Arab world – with Her Excellency Maryam AlMheiri and her team. We appreciate Image Nation’s support and resources to nurture the regions talent. These soaps are very labour intensive and collectively we view this agreement as a long-term opportunity to rapidly develop aspiring production professional through extensive training of local cast, crew and writers. When it comes to producing key long-running shows in Abu Dhabi, this is only the beginning.
Ben Ross, Chief Content Officer of Image Nation Abu Dhabi, said: “This major production demonstrates the scale and ambition that Abu Dhabi’s entertainment industry has achieved. Even more importantly, a show of this scale will fuel the market’s ongoing growth by providing consistent and significant openings for talent – both in front of and behind the camera. We are honoured to be working with our longstanding partners at MBC Studios and twofour54 to bring this landmark project to life.
‘Inheritance’ was created for MBC Studios by renowned British writer and showrunner Tony Jordan. During his time on BBC 1’s long running soap EastEnders, Tony was responsible for creating some of the show’s best loved characters and planning some of the most iconic storylines in the shows history.
Tony Jordan said, “One of my long-held ambitions has been to create and help develop major drama projects outside the UK, this project is truly ground-breaking and I think we’ve created something really special”.
The development of ‘Inheritance’ is the latest milestone in twofour54’s longstanding partnership with MBC. In 2015, both parties signed a three-year agreement to grow the number of quality Arabic drama productions in Abu Dhabi and the region. This has resulted in a broad range of Arabic content, including ‘Haret El Sheikh’, ‘Hob Bila Hudood’, season one of ‘Boxing Girls’, as well as the first two seasons of critically acclaimed series ‘Al Asouf’.
Principal photography on ‘Inheritance’ will begin in December, with the first episode expected to air in the first quarter of 2020.
(Source: MBC press release)
