The international news agency, Thomson Reuters, celebrated the passing of 150 years since its establishment during the Arab Media Forum (AMF) in Dubai, with the attendance of media elites, decision-makers, writers, intellectuals, media and academic leaders, experts and specialists in the sector.

Its special platform in the "Media Walk", part of the forum’s first-day programme, presented famous moments in the history of the Middle East and North Africa through the eyes, words and reports of its journalists.

President of Dubai Press Club (DPC) and Chairperson of AMF Organising Committee Mona Ghanem Al Marri, extended her sincere congratulations to the famous international news agency on the passing of a century and a half since its establishment.

"We are happy that the Arab Media Forum hosted the famous agency’s celebrations of the passing of 150 years since its launch as its name carries weight and stature in the world of media and information, as well as its renowned credibility and precision, which are the standards that made it a model to be followed and an example of accuracy and speed of transferring news and trusted information," Al Marri said.

"No one can overlook the great contribution of this international media organisation, which placed important foundations and standards in the field of media and information, and it now has a special school to deal with the news," she added.

Nadim Najjar, Delegated Member of Thomson Reuters for the Middle East and North Africa, expressed his happiness that the occasion coincided with the 16th Arab Media Forum in Dubai.

He highlighted the forum’s development as an important platform for attracting local, regional and international media during the past decade while expressing his happiness that the agency is part of the forum by celebrating this historic occasion. He is also looking forward to advancing a purposeful dialogue on the future of information in the Middle East and North Africa.

As part of this year’s forum, the Media Walk hosted the Thomson Reuters platform to enable its forum’s visitors to view important moments in the history of the Middle East and North Africa, through a computer tablet device with an application enabling guests to review 150-year-old news material from Reuters.