“On this special day, we celebrate 53 years of dedication, integrity, and excellence in journalism. Since our founding on June 5th, 1971, we have been a beacon of truth and a pillar of democracy in Sierra Leone, championing the rights of journalists and upholding the principles of free speech and responsible reporting,” a statement from SLAJ’s secretariat has said today.
The statement furthers: “Through the years, and decades, we have navigated challenges with resilience and have been a steadfast voice for the voiceless, we have sustained our unwavering commitment to fostering a vibrant and informed society. Our contributions to democracy, good governance, national emergencies, peace, stability, and national cohesion cannot be over-emphasized.”
SLAJ adds that “every birthday allows us to reflect on where we have come from, where we are, and where we are going. We have been looking inward, we have been looking at our present situation, and we have mapped a clear vision of where we are going.”
“Today, at 53 we honor our remarkable journey and the invaluable contributions SLAJ has made to the media landscape in Sierra Leone and to the development of our country. We remember our foundation members and pay tribute to our past and current regional and national Executives, our past Presidents, and, most importantly our dedicated and committed members. We also remember our fallen colleagues affectionately.
We thank our partners and sponsors for standing by us every step of the way.
May the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists continue to thrive and inspire future generations of journalists to pursue their craft with courage, diligence, truth, honesty, integrity, responsibility, accountability, professionalism, and patriotism.
Here’s to many more years of impactful media development initiatives, public interest and accountability journalism, advocacy, and storytelling.”
Happy 53rd Anniversary!
AHMED SAHID NASRALLA
President
