Loading ...Arab America and NUSACC Commemorate the 15th Anniversary of Elaph
Othman Al-Omein addresses the reception
On the evening of Thursday, June 2, Arab America and the National U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce (NUSACC) hosted a reception at the National Press Club in Washington, DC to honor the 15th anniversary of the largest Arabic language e-newspaper, Elaph, and its founder, Othman Al-Omeir.
Arab America President, Warren David, welcomed guests to the reception and spoke of the progress Arab media has made in combatting negative images about Arab Americans and the Arab world. The reception’s attendees included prominent journalists, businessmen, educators, and more than a dozen dignitaries from the diplomatic core and public service sector.
David Hamod, President of NUSACC, introduced Othman Al-Omeir and spoke warmly of his accomplishments as a pioneer in Arab media.
In his speech, Othman Al-Omeir said he wanted to create an Arab newspaper that got away from “censorship and Big Brother.” He said he’s proud of his paper for not conforming to censorship, but that all papers must still work to get away from Big Brother – an Orwellian reference to government power over the media.
Elaph is a London-based newspaper founded in 2001, and is the first daily, independent Arabic-language newspaper. With journalists all over the Arab world from Morocco to Jordan to Bahrain, Othman Al-Omeir has built a voice for the Arab world free from government interference.
Before starting Elaph, Al-Omeir was the editor-in-chief of the Saudi business funded Arabic newspaper Asharq Alawsat. From there, he was inspired to establish Elaph, which continues to grow each year in size and scope.
“It was an honor for us to commemorate the 15th anniversary of Elaph, an organization which has made great strides in Arab media,” said Warren David. “We at Arab America have a similar mission to Elaph’s in that we are striving to provide an accurate narrative of the Arab experience, which is often misunderstood or falsely represented in other media outlets,” David added.
Arab America would like to thank everyone who attended the reception, and everyone who has actively supported Elaph and its mission for the past 15 years.