The Mauritanian Journalists’ Union held a ceremony yesterday evening, Sunday, at its headquarters in the centre of the capital to mark the fifty-seventh anniversary of national independence. It comprised two parts: honouring prominent figures from the first generation who founded the national press at the state’s birth, and inaugurating the new headquarters. Union President Mr Mohamed Salem Ould Dah said the event aimed to strengthen close ties among successive generations whose rich and varied contributions had served the country and its citizens, consolidating the state’s substantial progress in press freedom and audiovisual independence.
The Journalists’ Union honours the founding generation
The Secretary-General of the Ministry of Relations with Parliament and Civil Society, Mr Mokhtar Ould Dahi, stressed the press’s professional, ethical and human responsibility, which matches the media professional’s noble mission. It protects practitioners from slipping into polemics and sensationalism and prevents the press from straying from its noble role of guiding and enlightening society. The official ceremony was attended by the Secretary-General of the High Authority for the Press and Audiovisual Media, the Mayor of Tevragh Zeina, the Secretary-General of the National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, the Chair of the journalism ethics committee, the President of the Union of Websites and other prominent media figures. The Union honoured more than thirty national media and journalism personalities from public and private sectors. Prominent honourees from the founding generation and the following one included:
Veteran Mohamed Mahmoud Ould Wedadi — National radio
Veteran and first technician Abdou Ould Mohamed El Hadj….. National radio
Veteran Dehen Hammoud…… National radio
Mr El Hacen Ould Moulay Ely… National radio, director of the first programming schedule.
Kaber Hachem…. National radio
Mohamed Abdallah Bezeid…. National radio
Mokhtar Lissan Eddine…. National radio
Salka Bent Asneid…. National radio
Esseni Abdao…. Radio, cultural programmes
Abbas Diaby… presenter of Soninke news bulletins…. National radio
Abdallah Sire Ba…. presenter of Pulaar news bulletins…. National radio
Mamoud Kane….. presenter of Wolof news bulletins… National radio
Echaab newspaper
Mohamed Yahdhih Ould Breideleil… French-language Echaab newspaper
El Khalil Ould Ennahoui… Arabic-language Echaab newspaper
Mohamed El Hafez Ould Meham… Arabic-language Echaab newspaper
Cheikh Bekkaye.. Echaab newspaper
Mauritanian Press Agency
Mohamed Ould Babettah… editor-in-chief of the French-language edition
Sidi Brahim Sidat…. editor-in-chief of the Arabic-language edition
Mauritanian News Agency
El Hacen Ould Ahmed… editor-in-chief
Saleh Ould Obeidallah… editor-in-chief
Mamouni Ould El Mokhtar…. journalist
Mohamed El Amine Ould Sidi, journalist
Mohamed El Mokhtar Ould M’Barek, known as Bangoko… first photojournalist at the Mauritanian Press Agency
Mauritanian Television
Yeslem Ould Ibn Abdem… head of the first Mauritanian television project
Brahim Ould Abdallah…. journalist and former director of Mauritanian Television
Raki Sy… first television news presenter
Mariem Bent Yahya.. among the first female directors at Mauritanian Television
Mariem Bent Beyrouk… among the first female directors at Mauritanian Television
Knein Ould Ahmed… among the first cameramen at Mauritanian Television
Independent press
Tehi Bent Lahbib… founder of the Woman of Society newspaper
Abbah Ould Salek…
Mohamed Vall Ould Oumeir… French-language Al Bayan newspaper
Sy Mamoud…. editor-in-chief of La Vie Hebdo
El Houssein Ould Mahand… editor-in-chief of the Arabic-language Al Bayan newspaper
El Weli Ould Sidi Heiba… editor-in-chief of Ezzeman newspaper
Zeinebou Bent Ejed… director of the Akhbar El Ousbou newspaper
Mohamed Ould Khattat… journalist at El Qafila newspaper
Abdallah Mamadou Ba… journalist writing the “On the Margins” column in Al Bayan newspaper
