DAMASCUS/ISTANBUL

Syria's official news agency, SANA, launched its new vision on Wednesday at the National Center for Visual Arts in Damascus, the country's capital.

The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) made the launch in the presence of Yusuf Ozhan, deputy director general and editor-in-chief of Anadolu, as well as ambassadors from various countries.

During the ceremony, a promotional video featuring SANA's new look used visuals to highlight significant developments in Syria over the last decade.

The opening speeches were given by SANA Director General Ziad Mahameed and Information Minister Hamza al-Mustafa.

‘Syrian colleagues smiling’

Speaking at the ceremony, Ozhan expressed his satisfaction at participating in the event held in the Syrian capital on behalf of Anadolu.

Noting Syria’s experience of intense conflict over the past decade, and how the country made frequent headlines globally due to the destruction and massacres carried out by the Assad regime, Ozhan said: “However, it is extremely gratifying for us to see our Syrian colleagues looking to the future with hope and smiling faces.”

He pointed out that reconstruction activities have progressed visibly across the country, saying, “We witness these efforts firsthand when we walk around the streets. As part of this, we discovered that the Syrian Arab News Agency is also very active.”

Ozhan emphasized that he had discussed these issues with Mahameed during his previous visits and said that Anadolu is exploring how it could cooperate with the SANA in its future activities.

The editor-in-chief said that the Syrian Arab News Agency's new logo was also unveiled during the program, adding, “Various presentations were held to showcase the renovations carried out at the news centers. Following the opening speeches, a very impressive video presentation was shown about the events that have taken place in Syria over the past decade.”

“As Anadolu, we are here to boost the morale and support our fellow journalists who are hopeful about Syria's future, as well as to hold preliminary talks on joint projects for the future,” Ozhan said.

Cooperation with SANA

Mahameed, on the occasion, said the agency has completed its restructuring with a new editorial line and contemporary media language, reaching a strong position.

The SANA director said the news agency's new face has been reborn with a modern and dynamic media approach, adding: "We have established a special directorate for digital media. Our agency will be present on social media platforms. In addition, our new website, which includes modern tools to improve performance, has gone live."

He emphasized that SANA, which had previously exhibited an isolated and closed structure, has now opened its doors to all local and international media organizations, saying: “There are projects underway to sign cooperation protocols with many international and Arab agencies, primarily Anadolu.”

Mahameed noted that they will develop cooperation opportunities with Anadolu and mentioned that they plan to visit Anadolu soon in this context.

Anadolu inspires SANA restructuring process

Al-Mustafa said the official launch of SANA marks a watershed moment, with the news agency now positioning itself as a professional news service provider rather than a government blog.

He emphasized that this approach is influenced by the operations of institutional and professional organizations such as Anadolu, saying: "Anadolu was one of the models that inspired us in our new restructuring process. We also used other examples."

Al-Mustafa emphasized Anadolu's broad reach and said it values collaboration with other professional agencies.