Page 7 - International Media Center Programs

International Media Center

Introduction

Since the twentieth century, media has taken the lead in publishing, advertising, documenting events
adopted by countries and influencing public opinion locally and globally. It is no secret that media
has become an influential tool in peace, war and development, and changing ideas and convictions at
the same time.
The Iraqi media overall enjoyed a great deal of freedom after the fall of the past regime in 2003,
however due to the instability and the war against terrorism and the perceptions formed by the public
opinion on regional and global levels on Iraq have remained largely negative because the democratic
experience is new in the country.
Because the new Iraqi political system enjoys unprecedented freedom to express opinion and elections,
it was looked at by the international media agencies with a single eye and within the perspective of

criticism to the extent that regional media started to encourage discrimination and weaken the regime.
Imam Hussain Holy Shrine took the responsibility of showing the new face of Iraq through hosting and
organizing special programs for influential international institutions and journalists from the East and
the West in order to inform them of the progress made in the areas of development, reconstruction,
culture, community awareness and peaceful coexistence.
The Media Department of Imam Hussain Holy Shrine has been hosting and organizing special
programs for foreign institutions to play their role in spreading facts about the spirit of tolerance and
the reconstruction projects adopted by the Holy Shrine as well as efforts to unite all Iraqis in order to
combat terrorists and extremists operating under the name of Islam.

This direct media approach in conveying the facts on the ground has been distinguished by great
impact and resonance, changing the convictions of many foreign media institutions and journalists,
which had imagined before that Iraq is still a battlefield and that living there or visiting it is of a great
danger.
We feel it is necessary to document and inform the local and international public opinion about these
programs adopted by Imam Hussain Holy Shrine.
This booklet contains summaries of the special programs and activities carried out by the cooperating
foreign media institutions from 2015-2019.

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