Damascus, SANA- Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) announced Wednesday, 20 August 2025, its new launch under the title “SANA… A Turning Point,” during a ceremony at the National Center for Visual Arts in Damascus.
The ceremony was held in the presence of ministers, representatives of diplomatic missions accredited in Syria, local and international unions, syndicates, media institutions, and cultural and artistic figures.
The ceremony included a screening of a historical documentary film about SANA, the unveiling of a model of the agency’s new logo, a video announcing the new visual identity, a display of 30 distinctive archival photos from the agency’s history, a promotional video for the advertisement, and an advanced technical presentation explaining the renovations in the agency and the technical and professional developments that have occurred in it.
Al-Mahamid: The new SANA addresses the world with the voice of the real Syria.
SANA Director General, Mr. Ziad Al-Mahamid, stressed in his speech during the ceremony that the new launch of the agency makes it a professional national agency that conveys the news with honesty and responsibility, and addresses the world in the voice of the real Syria, indicating that this moment that brings us together is full of great meanings in which we announce a new launch for the agency whose name has long been associated with a dark period in Syria’s history, in which it contributed to beautifying murder and criminals.
Al-Mahamid added: “Today.. We formulate a new dawn for the agency, in which we restore consideration to SANA’s authentic journalistic message to be a professional national agency that conveys the news honestly and addresses the world in the language of true Syria, not in the language of tyranny
Al-Mahamid clarified that SANA was an institution burdened with stagnation; it carried a traditional journalistic mindset based on dictation rather than research, field work, truth-seeking, and accuracy; and a dilapidated infrastructure; from outdated equipment, to programs that no longer work, and a building unbecoming of a national media house… even the cameras, of which only two or three were operational… a story of incompetence unbecoming of an institution bearing the name Syria.
Transformation journey..
The Director General of SANA spoke about the transformation that took place at the agency, saying: “We accepted the challenge and began the journey of transformation… We changed the mechanism of media work from “a journalist waiting for instructions” to “a field journalist who verifies the accuracy of information and transmits it professionally.”
The transformation journey also included restructuring the editorial policy to become more balanced and closer to the people, according to Al-Mahamid, explaining that the agency held training workshops for cadres that focused on the values of credibility and responsibility, and transformed the former party division hall from a closed Baathist space into an open, lively training hall, graduating a new generation of journalists in partnership with local and international institutions.
Modern website and publication in five languages
SANA’s advanced work included replacing old equipment, introducing modern filming and production equipment, and transforming SANA from a media isolation to a modern presence through a modern website supported by the latest public access tools. Al-Mahamid explained that news coverage from Damascus has expanded to a wide network of correspondents in all governorates, and to a growing international network
Because the media is a global language, SANA has adopted, in addition to its native Arabic, five main languages: English, French, Spanish, Turkish, and Kurdish, with editorial policies specific to each audience.
Al-Mahamid added: “We launched advanced visual content, and introduced new production lines of high-quality videos, professional images, and humanitarian reports that put the human being at the heart of the news. We also began using artificial intelligence tools to speed up work, while enhancing the journalist’s sense and conscience.”
Numbers attest to change
The results of SANA’s development have begun to grow; website visits have increased by more than 600% in recent months, and SANA’s social media following has increased by 400%. These numbers, as Al-Mahamid mentioned, testify that change is possible when we have the will, determination, and perseverance. SANA today is not an extension of a bygone past, but rather the beginning of a new beginning for a reliable professional platform, with eyes open to the world.
Fedaa
