Father Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, giving a speech to mark the 20th anniversary of Al Jazeera Media Network yesterday said that Al Jazeera has freed the Arab viewers from relying on the foreign media which was biased against Arab interests and aspirations.

The network proved to Arab people that they can rely on an Arab network that offers all opinions in a balanced manner, said the Father Emir.

To this day, The Father Emir said, Al Jazeera remains committed to the truth and the aspirations of the Arab people for freedom and dignity.

Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser attended the anniversary celebrations. Prime Minister and Interior Minister  H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani was also present, along with a number of ministers, officials and host of intellectuals and media personalities.

The Father Emir praised the network's credibility and commitment to tell the truth since its inception. He said Qatar decided two decades ago to establish an Arab media outlet that allows people of the region to see the world from their perspective, an outlet that would raise awareness and enjoy the highest level of credibility and professionalism on par with the rest of the world. He added that “today was a good opportunity to reflect with pride on the result of these twenty years,”stressing that Al Jazeera marked the birth of the greatest Arab Media outlet yet.

The Father Emir said that Al Jazeera strengthened ties between Arab people regardless of their sects and entrenched the belief in a common destiny, highlighting that the network chose the classical Arabic language because it is understood all over the Arab World. He highlighted that the network's rise to glory was done over a very short period of time. It also adapted to the changes by launching its very special digital service (AJ+) and focused on involving the youth in dialogue. The Father Emir stressed that the adulation Al Jazeera receives from Arab people was unmatched by any other media outlet, even internationally.

On Al Jazeera English, the Father Emir said that it succeeded in imposing itself as a strong competitor with high credibility. He added that Al Jazeera English also freed the international public opinion from media monopoly, allowing people of the world to listen to different narratives and opinions.

The Father Emir maintained that the network took objective criticism on board in its constant bid to improve its performance. He stressed, however, that the channel never wavered from its independent editorial policy which is committed to the truth and human beings wherever they are. Father Emir highlighted that not all criticism aimed at Al Jazeera was objective, adding that in cases it was prejudiced against Al Jazeera and the State of Qatar. Despite that, he added, Qatar never crumbled under pressure and continued offering Al Jazeera everything it needed to develop its performance.

The Father Emir said the network paid a heavy price for its commitment to the truth, represented in the death and imprisonment of many of its reporters. He commented on that saying that those who were prejudiced against Al Jazeera should have been more fair, rather than push to change the network's editorial policy. The Father Emir concluded the speech by highlighting the destruction taking place today in a number of Arab and Islamic cities that saw the birth of human civilisation thousands of years ago. He called on the network to remain committed to humanity and life in their coverage of those agonising tales in Aleppo, Hama and Mosul which the world turned a blind eye to.

Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Father Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser had visited the exhibition that accompanied the 20th anniversary celebration. It included some of the belongings of Al Jazeera journalists as well as a number of documentary films covering the network's milestones.