ANKARA

Heads of international news agencies offered letters and words of praise in celebration of Anadolu Agency's 100th anniversary.

Michael Friedenberg, the president of Reuters, sent a letter to Anadolu Agency’s Director-General Senol Kazanci to congratulate the agency on its 100th year.

Noting this is a significant milestone and testimony to the skill and hard work of everyone at the agency, Friedenberg said:

“I would like to take the opportunity to celebrate our valuable partnership with you. The agreement to distribute Anadolu Agency video on Reuters Connect is mutually beneficial; it allows AA to reach an even bigger global audience and gives our customers important coverage from the Middle East and beyond. We are delighted to be working together in this way.”

Friedman also wished everyone at Anadolu a very happy centennial year on behalf of Reuters.

The Associated Press’s President and CEO Gary Pruitt also wrote a letter to Kazanci.
“Dear Mr. Kazanci, Congratulations on the 100th anniversary of the Anadolu Agency. The Associated Press and Anadolu have worked together for decades. We have cooperated on many historic events and milestones, and we look forward to continuing our relationship. Today, our roles are more important than ever. We believe a news agency’s noblest mission is to deliver objective, fact-based information for the public good. Once again, our best wishes for a happy 100th birthday!”

TASS Director General Sergey Mihalyov, in his congratulatory letter to Director General Senol Kazanci, said he believes Anadolu Agency would continue to actively grow and achieve new success in information field despite the tumultuous time the world is in.

The head of Albania’s ATA news agency also sent her best wishes.

Armela Krasniqi in a letter said it was a privilege to congratulate Anadolu Agency on its 100th anniversary.

She highlighted Turkey’s aid to Albania in the aftermath of its devastating earthquake in November 2019.

Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Federal News Agency (FENA) also wished success to Anadolu Agency’s chairman and all its employees, saying that in difficult times the agencies' roles become bigger as relevant sources of information. 

“Anadolu is an example of such an agency, which is why we are proud that FENA and AA have had successful cooperation in all areas for many years. Of course, we will continue enhancing that cooperation in the interest of our agencies, but our states as well,” said Elmir Huremovic, general manager of FENA.
North Macedonia’s Media Information Agency (MIA) also celebrated Anadolu Agency’s 100th anniversary.

Director-General Dragan Antonovski stressed the longstanding cooperation between the two agencies within the Association of the Balkan News Agencies-Southeast Europe (ABNA-SEE).

The director of Serbia’s Tanjug News Agency, Branka Djukic, wished the next anniversary will bring Anadolu Agency more successful stories and to worldwide a needed stability.

The head of the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (AMNA), Eftychios Pallikaris, wished all staff of Anadolu Agency success for many more years to come.

George Penintaex, the director of Cyprus News Agency, also wished the agency success.
“On this blissful day of your agency's anniversary, I wish you and AA's great team of journalists, photographers and the rest of the staff every success for many more years to come,” he said in a statement.

South Korea’s Yonhap news agency also congratulated the Anadolu Agency on its anniversary. President and CEO Cho Sung-boo stressed the strong friendship between the two countries and agencies.

“All of us recognize the trust and fame that Anadolu Agency has earned through its journalistic mission as Turkey’s key newswire, steering successfully through the most challenging and turbulent periods over the past century since its inception,” he said in a statement.

Wishing success to Anadolu Agency in its future endeavors, Mongolia’s MONTSAME News Agency also congratulated Anadolu Agency.

“We are fully confident that the partnership of our two agencies will expand further,” said its Director-General Ganchimeg Badamdorj.

The head of the Slovenian Press Agency sent greetings to everyone at Anadolu Agency in a letter to Senol Kazanci.

“With its 100-year-old tradition, Anadolu Agency must remain a guarantor of quality information for the general public at home and abroad,” said STA’s Director-General Bojan Veselinovic.

The news agencies also noted that the 100th-anniversary celebration overlapped with difficult times, referring to the COVID-19 pandemic, and shared their solidarity and best wishes to survive the coronavirus pandemic together.

Azerbaijan state news agency AZERTAC also hailed Anadolu Agency's 100th year since its foundation. 
Emphasizing the close relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey, Aslan Aslanov, AZERTAC’s chairman, said Turkey and Azerbaijan are two states but one nation and this manifests itself in the close cooperation with their national news agencies in every field. 

“Anadolu Agency has determined itself as a reliable news source and has gained a valuable place internationally. The 100th anniversary of Anadolu Agency is an important event for the entire Turkish-Islamic world and makes us happy,” said Aslanov.

Italy's ANSA news agency CEO and General Manager Stefano de Alessandri also sent a congratulatory message, saying that the roles of news agencies during a time like now while fighting coronavirus is essential to prevent misinformation.

AFP's Europe director Christine Buhagiar sent a congratulatory message, said: "AFP wishes you the best in these difficult circumstances. Anadolu has shown its resilience across that century of existence and we are sure it will overcome this new historical moment. All AFP management would like to express their best wishes for this very special birthday."

China’s official state-run Xinhua news agency also celebrated Anadolu Agency’s centennial and congratulated its staff. 

“Anadolu Agency is an important news organization which has great influence in Turkey and the Middle East,” Xinhua’s President Cai Mingzhao said in a letter. 

Japan’s Kyodo news agency also sent a letter to Director-General Senol Kazanci to congratulate Anadolu Agency. 

In his letter, the agency’s president, Toru Mizutani, said the two agencies have maintained a long period of friendly relations. 

“I am very pleased to celebrate this monumental milestone for your news service, which has gained trust and respect in and outside Turkey,” he said. 

The National News Agency of Ukraine, or Ukrinform, also marked Anadolu Agency’s anniversary with a letter. 

“We sincerely share your joy and pride because we are peers. We celebrated our centennial two years ago,” said its Director General Oleksandr Kharchenko.

Spanish News Agency EFE also sent a congratulatory message, wishing for personal health and professional success.

“We are confident that we can continue to make progress in our cooperation with Anadolu in the face of all the critical challenges that contemporary journalism faces,” said José Manuel Sanz, director for international relations of the agency.

IRNA’s Managing Director and CEO Sayed Zia Hashemi, in his congratulatory letter to Director General Senol Kazanci, said Anadolu Agency’s long journey would not be possible without perseverance and professional commitment by its managers, journalists, and staff. 


Moroccan News Agency (MAP) Director-General Khalil Hachimi Idrissi also celebrated the centennial of Anadolu Agency on behalf of his agency. 

Idrissi conveyed his special appreciation to Anadolu Agency staff for their ongoing efforts.

Bulgarian Telegraph Agency (BTA) Director General also sent an congratulatory e-mail.

“Over the years, BTA and AA have had a most fruitful "komsu" [neighbor] friendship and a very efficient exchange of news, photos and information. We have and we will do business together, hopefully for many years to come and I'm sure that we will always feel the warm neighborly attitudes that we have felt ever since the signing of our first Agreement of Mutual Cooperation many years ago.

“How appropriate the old cliche of "brotherly agencies" sounds today, especially under the shadow of the spreading threat of Coronavirus, as we will continue working together, helping each other and whoever else needs our help, by mainly giving prompt and true information, to slow down and eventually stop this pandemic that is changing the world before our eyes!,” said Maxim Minchev.

The News Agency of Slovak Republic (TASR), congratulating the milestone, said: “As we are all navigating through stormy waters of these days, TASR wishes a firm grasp of the rudder and an accurate hold on events in delivering its mission to Anadolu Agency as it turns 100.”

Belgium’s BELGA News Agency CEO Patrick LaCroix said: “Belga News Agency likes to congratulate Anadolu with the celebration of its 100 years establishment. Please remark that our press agencies are peers in age, both founded in the same year. Our agency was founded on August 20th of 1920.

“Just like 100 years ago, the role of our press agencies remains crucial to the functioning of our societies.  Our people always are in need of objective information and professional news. Our services played a major role in the last century, they are very much appreciated in these times of crisis and we are sure they will remain indispensable in the future.”

Tunisia’s official news agency, Agence Tunis Afrique Presse (TAP)’s Managing Director Nabil Gargabou also sent a congratulatory e-mail, said TAP consider Anadolu Agency “as a major international news agency boasting a record of reliability and accuracy as well as a strong network of offices and correspondents across the world.”

Romanian news agency AGERPRES’ Director General Claudia Nicolae, in her remarks, wished both news agencies “become stronger and more united to overcome the crisis and prove once more that the news agencies are in the first line of real and high-quality information.”

KosovaPress Director General Suzana Rakovica said, as partners of the Assocation of the Balkan News Agencies – Southeast Europe (ABNA-SE), KosovaPress and Anadolu Agency represent the “highest values and contribute in strengthening the peace, cooperation, security and the right information for all citizens in the region and beyond.”

Taiwan’s CNA new agency President Chang Jui-Chang, in his letter, said the anniversary comes at a challenging time not only for news organizations but also for all inhabitants of the globe as governments and people fight an invisible enemy in the form of a deadly virus.

“But you might agree, we journalists as a breed, thrive on historic events like this,” Chang said. “It is a moment like this that the work of a news organization like ours becomes ever important.”

Kazakhstan-based KAZINFORM’s Chairman of the Board Askar Umarov said Anadolu Agency continues to be source of “true, objective, fast and trusted” news, as both agencies thrive with their bilateral relations. 

Turk Ajansi Kibris (Turkish Agency Cyprus) Director General Fehmi Gurdalli also wished Anadolu Agency a happy centennial, as both agencies “assume historic missions, to correctly inform public during national struggle period and herald the voice of the country to the world.”

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