When magazines falter, AsiaN moves ahead: AsiaN celebrates its ninth anniversary

By Habib Toumi

Manama: Noticing the passing of time is never easy. We are often too busy with our daily routines, with tackling new situations, treading on new paths and dealing with whatever comes unexpectedly our way to notice that time has elapsed without taking a pause.

One day blurs into another, one week into another, one year into another and we stop counting the days, as time tamed our eagerness and muted our pronounced enthusiasm. Birthdays and other annual events become a pleasant surprise that ruptures the routine and the schedules that command our lives.

Yet, we members of the Asia Journalists Association (AJA) were all ready to celebrate on November 11 the ninth anniversary of AsiaN, the brainchild of Sang-ki Lee and other media pioneers who worked on founding and supporting a magazine, in its print and online editions, for Asia.

Magazines often serve a city, a province and sometimes a country. Few magazines are really international. AsiaN is continental. It has the perspectives and ambitions of Asia, the world’s largest continent.

It may not be the most influential, but it does have large perspectives that go beyond cultures, religions, races, sects and languages, bringing peoples closer, shaping wider views and promoting peaceful co-existence, mutual acceptance and global acceptance.

Asia is a large continent, not only physically, but also spiritually and culturally. AsiaN wants it to be bigger, bolder and more diversified than it is through sharing stories, points of views, knowledge and culture from all that countries that make it the continent it is.

That is the spirt of Asia and AsiaN, as the mirror of Asia, will hold it high as it moves forward into a new year built upon proven competency, transparency and relevancy.

Happy anniversary

Testimonies:

Pooneh Nedai (Iran)

I congratulate the 9th anniversary of AsiaN. AJA has been founded by Mr. Lee Sang Ki and journalists from Asia 16 years ago. AsiaN is the fruit of AJA and it is the voice of Asian people and journalists. I believe AsiaN has done its prophecy well.

Ivan Lim (Singapore)

I join AJA colleagues in marking ninth birthday of Asia N. Our 9 years young ‘brain-child’ is unique, conceived and birthed by media professionals from across the Asia continent, nurtured in the

free- and peace – loving environment of the Land of the morning calm and within the larger canvas of enriching Oriental literary and Creative cultures and traditions. Asia N is thriving and entering its teenage years amid the global pandemic, thanks to the unstinting love, care and succour of multi cast of adoptive parents, into a cosmopolitan, multi-lingual media platform with promise.

Now looking ahead… We can recall our youthful spirits, race on like Arabian/Mongolian stallions, soar like the eagle, and scale our Everests

Sip new spirits and savour vintage wine.

Thus, renewed and reinvigorated we will be in better footing to shine in a dynamic and competitive cyberspace

One of the biggest challenges is the fake news phenomenon

Which we must overcome by upholding professional standards through keeping up our ethical code of conduct and practising fact-checking.

Rasha Abdelrahman (UAE)

My great congratulation to Asia N celebrating the ninth anniversary of its first issue and thank you Mr Sang lee for his efforts all these years and thank all friends who had a great contribution to make AsiaN successful

AsiaN this magazine that proved itself and could attract writers and journalists from all the world and became A symbol of multiculturalism, love and tolerance

Thank you AsiaN

Thank you, AJA, the Asian Journalist Association born 16 years ago and I am proud to be member in it

Thank you, all my friends!

Dr. Hassan Humieda, Sudan-Germany

Writer & Medical Consultant

I am truly happy to join the top writers of the AsiaN to write my journey between Sudan and Germany. Happy Birthday AsiaN. My greetings to AJA President.

Radwa Khattab (Egypt)

Peace be upon you

I am Radwa Khattab from Egypt

I have been writing for AsiaN in Arabic for the last five years

This is a happy occasion for AsiaN.

I am truly happy because my first steps in journalism were in AsiaN and this makes me always consider AsiaN my family

I would like to thank Mr Ashraf Abouelyazid for his particular keenness to ensure my contributions are in the best shape. He invariably makes sure that my articles are always up to the standards of AsiaN.

Happy anniversary AsiaN

Hoda & Fadwa Ashraf (Egypt)

Students, youngest readers from Cairo

Happy anniversary, AsiaN

Hani Nadeem, Syria

Editor in Chief, For Good Advertising and Marketing, Saudi Arabia

It has been a nine years career of a solid journalism work in creating content that fights fake news, builds professionalism and supports serious journalists.

I am proud of my membership in AJA, thanks to Mr. Ashraf Aboul-Yazid, president of Asia Journalist Association; who achieved a vital presence in supporting journalism in the Arab and Asian regions.

I am happy with this achievement, my friends, and I am grateful to the Asia Journalists Association and its members who have been adding a lot to their profession and their experiences.

Norila Mohd. Daud (Malaysia)

I would like to congratulate AsiaN magazine for celebrating its 9th anniversary of its publication today. As one of the founding members of the Asia Journalists Association (AJA) I am very proud with the birth of AsiaN as it is an important platform to unite the great journalists in Asia to contribute their works and this effort should be encouraged and supported.

I would like to sincerely appreciate the great work and the tireless efforts of Mr. Lee Sang Ki and his editorial team to successfully publishing the AsiaN magazine regardless of the problems and difficulties encountered. As one of the founding members of AJA, Mr. Lee has managed to publish the magazine with passion and the love to unite Asian journalists through AsiaN.

I pray for the future success of AsiaN and hope that Asian journalists will continue to contribute their good works in various aspects covering politics, economy, sports, social issues and the international relationships and issues relating to their countries.

Eddy Suprapto (Indonesia)

Happy 9th anniversary of AsiaN. We wish you success and be a lamp for the people of Asia.

Regards.

Nurzhan Kasmalieva (Kyrgyzstan)

Dear editorial office of AsianN magazine and its founder Mr. Lee Sang-ki,

I sincerely congratulate you on the 9th anniversary of the magazine’s foundation.

I think nine years is a long and difficult path, which requires courage and dedication.

Over the years of its existence, the magazine has become an authoritative periodical, which publishes interesting materials from all over the Asian continent in different languages.

It is gratifying to note that the world’s outstanding journalists are published on the pages of the magazine. And also thanks for the efforts and contributions of the members of the Asia Journalists Association, the magazine is gaining popularity every day.

As a regular reader, I follow the development of the magazine as a topical international publication and am always amazed at how objectively, authentically, truthfully and accessible various events from all over the world are covered on its pages.

I hope for the further development of the publication and, its wider distribution.

I also wish the magazine prosperity, longevity, creative success, continued fruitful cooperation with the authors already published on its pages and meet new names, health and success to everyone who has been with him during these years and will be in the future.

Cu Thi Lan (Vietnam)

I am very proud to be a member of the Asian Journalist Association and have a chance to contribute to the AsiaN.

On the 9th anniversary of the AsiaN, I want to send my best wishes to the newspaper and all members. I hope that the newspaper will further develop to become a voice of the Asian people and contribute to the peace and prosperity of Asia as well as the whole world.

As a new member, I will try to learn more and actively contribute more for the development of the AJA and AsiaN.

Ashraf Aboul-Yazid (Egypt) – President, Asia Journalist Association

It is our pleasure to congratulate all participating friends, in Asia Journalist Association and abroad in publishing the AsiaN, celebrating 9 years, 8 years for the Arabic version. We have crossed the Media Silk Road together, in culture, politics, social issues and economy, as well. Happy New Year!

Galal Nassar (Egypt)

Happy anniversary! I am wishing you to continue in success; as a platform for freedom, creativity and thought. I am proud to be one of those who write and publish their writings in The Asia N. Happy New Year!

Azza Aboul Ezz (Egypt)

Happy new year in every moment as the AsiaN celebrating the 9th anniversary in progress. I am proud to be one of its family-writers. I am also so happy to publish my papers in culture and criticism. To AsiaN, the next news network, I say: Happy new year to you and to your contributors.

Dr. Abdul Wahab Abdul Mohsen (Egypt)

Happy New year for The AsiaN, the next news network for Arabic, Asian and International cultures. Happy Anniversary and happy new year for you all.

 

Khalid Suleiman (Egypt – Tunisia)

Happy new year for the AsiaN. Happy anniversary for our colleagues and readers. I am so keen as an Egyptian journalist living in Tunisia to write what you are waiting for in all aspects to entertain and help you to know what is going on here. It is an honor to be with you. Happy anniversary AsiaN.

Fatema Al Zahraa Hassan (Egypt)

Happy anniversary to the next news network AsiaN.  This year we celebrate its 9th anniversary, hoping to celebrate its 100th anniversary. We are happy to contribute to its articles, as a huge number of cultural icons, media persons, critics, and journalists, not only from Asia but also from the whole world. I am proud of my section, entitled “Maestro”, where I regularly write; wishing every New Year to come with new and varied sections, keeping the AsiaN ahead forever.

Nasir Yusoff (Malaysia)

“AsiaN Bagus!” (AsiaN Great!) Congratulations to the foremost magazine of Asia, AsiaN, published by The Asian Journalist Association, founded by Lee Sang-ki. Cheers and kudos on the ninth anniversary celebration this year. I am confident that AsiaN has great potential to not only strengthen the bridge that connects countries of Asia but also promote better understanding among the various races, ethnicities, religions, languages, culture and traditions. I am more than honoured to be given the opportunity to be part of the magazine as one of the many contributors. I wish for nothing but the best of success for AsiaN. AsiaN BOLEH! (AsiaN Can!)

Habib Toumi (Bahrain)

My heartfelt congratulations to AsiaN on celebrating the ninth anniversary of its first issue!

Only the best and most prestigious magazines can stand the test of time, and Asia N has proven its outstanding status by also standing the test of geography, since it provides numerous opportunities to all countries, in Asia and beyond, to contribute reports, news, investigations, poems and opinion pieces …

The magazine has made a great contribution to the creation and support of our media community, and I am always pleased to work with AsiaN.

I wish the magazine further achievements and greater successes in the years to come.

Thank you AsiaN, for being such an important part of AJA, the association that has remarkably weathered all storms to make today better than yesterday and tomorrow better than today.

Thank you, AsiaN, and thank AJA for fostering friendships across countries, religions and cultures, and thank you for being sources of inspiration, love and peace.

Happy Anniversary!