Iran advocate of peace, supporter of fight against violence: IRNA chief

Iran as the cradle of civilization is after counter-terrorism moves and fight against extremism around the world, Zia Hashemi said in a speech to the media leaders' summit underway in Sanya, a city of China’s Hainan Island.

The full text of IRNA chief is as follows:

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear colleagues,

As the managing director of the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) and as a university professor, I'm really delighted to be here in this distinguished panel to talk about 'Construction of the Belt and Road Initiative and new opportunities for international communication' and to explore ways of closer cultural, social, economic and political ties among Asian countries.

An important country along the Silk Road with thousands of years of history, Iran has always promoted peace, friendship and coexistence among nations. It has presented the plan to fight extremism and violence to the world and to the United Nations. I come from a country where 15 million of its 80 million people have acquired higher education and work for the development, scientific growth and welfare of their own country as well as the region.

I believe mass media can play a significant role in the promotion of peace and friendship and in the development of cultural ties among nations. They also possess a remarkable capacity to end wars, invasions, terrorism and extremism.

I'm honored here to let my colleagues know that IRNA, with 84 years of experience and with a valuable treasure of human resources as well as efficient hardware and software properties like School of Journalism and Iran Cultural and Press Institute, tries to play that role and increase that capacity. In line with these goals, IRNA maintains active membership in several professional associations and publishes news stories in 9 languages.

People's Republic of China, as the initiator of One Belt, One Road project, has made a successful attempt to recreate the ancient Silk Road through rail, road and maritime routes.

Islamic Republic of Iran, which is strategically located along the road, has declared its readiness for cooperation in the project in order to reach a balanced and sustainable development in Asia.

Collective investment in this project will bring about infrastructure improvement for more than 60 Asian, European and African countries. It can strengthen trade and cultural relations in the 21st century, relying on several thousand years of history of the ancient Silk Road.

A rich source of news with a strong presence at national, regional and international levels, media play the role of information bridge among organizations, peoples and states. Their function as intermediary between the government and public opinion has turned them into new players and has paved the way to form new coalitions.

Dear colleagues,

Today, new technologies have shortened the time needed for communication to minutes or seconds and information has turned into a strategic product.

These developments alongside information's natural capacity that helps its obtainment in the forms of text, sound, picture, etc. has tremendously increased the potentials of media to occupy a prominent role at regional and international levels.

Considering the mentioned capabilities, mass media are able to create convergence among eastern and Asian societies through thoughtful planning and professional media cooperation.

Bearing in mind our rather similar fate, we need to improve cooperation among ourselves to make a more prosperous future for our nations.

Our close cooperation can also change and ease the effects of the one-way and sometimes destructive news streaming from the mainstream media of the West to the East.

I believe we, the media managers, should try to take advantage of these international meetings to help nations achieve deeper understanding of each other, decrease the number of wars and conflicts, fight terrorism and fundamentalism especially state terrorism in the Middle East and improve communication.

Media along the Silk Road should try to create joint news products.

Furthermore, we can file and publish appealing news stories and reports about capabilities and capacities of the countries along One Belt, One Road project to create a first-hand realistic picture to the world and facilitate increased cooperation.

I hope we can hold another meeting in one of the Silk Road countries very soon to implement the decisions on professional cooperation.

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