ICC Note: This is not strictly persecution news but we wanted to acknowledge this group of courageous Christians in Iraq who have stood for freedom of thought and pluralism in the midst of the worst circumstances that would have caused most to whither.
Iraqi Christian Monthly is Honored
3/14/2007 Iraq (Zenit.org): The Iraqi monthly Al-Fikr Al-Masihi was awarded the 2007 gold medal by the International Catholic Union of the Press.
“Al-Fikr Al-Masihi, published in Arabic, survived the worst of crises in the history of Iraq and it did so by becoming a reference point for all peoples: Muslims, Christians and other religions; and all types of ethnic and language groups,” explained the press union.
The title of the monthly translates as Christian Thought.
“The publication, owned by Christians who constitute less than 3% of the country’s population, has been the main example of freedom of the press, voice of peace and harmony among peoples, and promotion of human values,” the press union added.
It continued: “Al-Fikr Al-Masihi
is the longest surviving Christian journal in Iraq . It was created in view of greater evolution of the media in Iraq as well as more press freedom. During the most difficult years of war in 1991 and since 2003, the journals upheld and promoted exemplary positions.”
The gold medal is conferred every three years upon an individual, a group or an institution that has by work or deed championed the freedom of opinion, with emphasis on the written word.
