Over 100 women journalists from 45 countries convened with President Reisi in Iran.

Iran played host to an international gathering of over 100 women media professionals hailing from 45 different countries. This event, titled the “1st Khorsheed (sun) Media Festival,” took place from September 29 to October 1, commencing in Mashhad under the banner “Women narrate, illuminate and initiate change.” The festival was dedicated to the memory of Palestinian-American journalist Shirin Abu Aqileh, an Al Jazeera correspondent tragically killed by the Israeli army in Jenin.

The participants included over 100 women journalists and media members from a diverse range of countries, spanning West Asia to South and East Asia, Latin America to Africa, Europe to the Americas. Notably, there was a strong representation from Latin American countries.

Harici Media from Turkey was represented by Elif İlhamoğlu and Cansu Yiğit at the event.

The festival was organized under the direction of Marzieh Hashemi, a US-born Iranian journalist who serves as an anchor for Iran’s state-run Press TV. Hashemi’s detention in 2019 during a secret federal investigation in the US had made her an iconic figure in Iran and among anti-hegemonic countries.

One of the festival’s central themes was discussing the challenges faced by women in the media industry and exploring how anti-hegemonic women journalists could play a pivotal role in strengthening international media solidarity and cooperation against Western media hegemony and its portrayal of Eastern peoples and women.

The event posed a crucial question to its participants: “In a world where a few control the majority of media, what can media activists like us truly achieve?”

In addition to international attendees, Iranian women journalists also displayed significant interest in the event. Both international and Iranian women journalists engaged in numerous interviews and discussions on topics such as the state of the media, the role of women in the media, Western hegemony, and Iran’s stance on these matters.

‘Khorsheed’ intl. media festival brings women journalists from across the world to Iran.

Press TV's Gisoo Misha Ahmadi reports from Mashhad pic.twitter.com/6xXLoryJ8t

— Press TV (@PressTV) October 4, 2023

A visit to historical and cultural sites in Mashhad was organized alongside panel discussions. Mashhad, Iran’s second-most populous city in the Khorasan province, is renowned for its religious tourism, largely due to the presence of the mausoleum of Ali al-Reza, considered the eighth imam in Shiite faith.

During the event, foreign guests had the opportunity to visit the tomb of Imam Reza, providing them with a closer look at Iranian culture.

A visit to the mausoleum of Firdavsi, Iran’s most celebrated national poet and the author of the Shahnameh, was also part of the program. An actor recited excerpts from the Shahnameh and enacted its stories during this visit.

Elif İlhamoğlu ve Cansu Yiğit, Firdevsi Anıtı’nın önünde

Razavi Hospital, established in 2005 in Mashhad and popular among regional countries for health tourism, was also on the itinerary. Female directors and doctors at the hospital delivered a special presentation. The facility offers a wide range of medical services and holds international certifications. Additionally, it hosts international congresses, symposiums, and seminars in collaboration with organizations like the World Health Organization. The Razavi Cancer Research Center, inaugurated in February 2016, is part of the hospital.

During the hospital visit, discussions touched on the sanctions imposed on Iran by the United States, which persisted during the Covid-19 pandemic. It was highlighted that these sanctions hindered the arrival of critical life-saving medicines in the country. However, this situation has motivated Iran to develop its own pharmaceutical sector, enabling the country to produce most of its essential pharmaceuticals.

On the last day in Mashhad, the guests visited Mashhad Firdavsi University. Founded in 1949, it stands as the third oldest university in Iran. Statistics from the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology rank it among the top five universities in the country. The university’s rector and female administrators welcomed the guests and provided a campus tour, sharing that Mashhad Firdavsi University ranks third among Iranian universities in terms of foreign student enrollment.

The event concluded in Mashhad with a closing ceremony where Marzieh Hashemi was joined by Ansieh Khazali, the Iranian Vice President for Women and Family Affairs. Hazali emphasized the vital role of women throughout Iranian civilization, underscoring their contributions to society, their resilience against foreign invasions, and their ongoing fight against cultural assaults. She also stressed the significance of women’s roles in the media and the need for their voices to counter the misrepresentations propagated by the West.

The Tehran segment of the event encompassed diplomatic meetings and media visits. The participants toured Press TV and Akhbare Fori News, where predominantly young staff, primarily women, were engaged in journalistic work. They received insights into Iranian media and journalism and raised various questions, including queries about the coverage of protests following the death of Masha Amini the previous year. Iranian media executives acknowledged covering these events while also advocating for prudence and restraint during tense moments to prevent provocations among the public.

The Tehran visit also featured a tour of the National Museum of Iran, the country’s most significant, oldest, and largest museum, exhibiting archaeological artifacts spanning from the Paleolithic period to the Islamic era. During this visit, the secretary of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism accompanied the guests and expounded on Iran’s tourism policy.

The most noteworthy part of the Tehran visit was Iranian President Ibrahim Reisi hosting foreign women media members in his presidential office. He engaged in a roundtable meeting with them, joined by Mohammad Mahdi Ismaili Iran’s ministers of Islamic guidance and culture (Irshad) and Marzieh Hashemi.

Hashemi expressed gratitude to the journalists for their presence, stating that the event aimed to combat Western hegemony and expressed the intention to hold such festivals every two years with broader participation from women journalists.

Minister of Irshad Mehdi Ismaili highlighted the importance of the event, noting the critical role of Iranian women in the independent media sector and the current global challenge of international media terrorism. He pledged Iran’s support for the struggle for independent media.

Due to time constraints, only a limited number of questions were taken during the meeting. Female journalists from Zimbabwe, Iraq, and Uruguay posed questions to President Reisi. The Zimbabwean journalist sought Iran’s support for transitioning to digital broadcasting, while the Iraqi journalist inquired about the establishment of a multilateral media to counter Western media dominance. The Uruguayan journalist questioned Iran’s strategy to combat rising Islamophobia in the West.

President Reisi deemed the discussions productive and beneficial, expressing that they would enhance cooperation and interaction among media institutions across various countries. He emphasized the pivotal role women played in the Iranian Revolution and in contemporary society, challenging Western attempts to instrumentalize Iranian women for political purposes.

He underscored the importance of truthful media representation in the face of Western media hegemony, encouraging women journalists to continue their essential role in conveying the truth to the global audience.

At the event’s conclusion, foreign journalists shared their impressions, revealing that they had arrived in Iran with preconceived notions and apprehensions. They acknowledged that their perceptions had changed significantly during their visit and expressed their commitment to improving inter-media cooperation, communication, and translation channels to overcome their limited access to reliable and objective information about Iran.

Foreign journalists from 45 countries described Iranian women as strong, politically engaged, knowledgeable, well-educated, and intellectual, acknowledging their prominent roles in society. They confessed that these perceptions contradicted their initial impressions.

Conversely, Iranian women journalists noted that Western media often portrayed them as victims or oppressed, whereas they actively participated in various aspects of society, enjoying equal opportunities with men in many fields.

The event concluded with a commitment to strengthen cooperation between media outlets and to maintain communication and collaboration.