AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): On the sidelines of the “Lights of Guidance” exhibition, ABNA reporter interviewed Mohammad Taqi Estiri, in charge of the booth of the “Basir Center for Media Missionary”.
In the introduction of “Basir Center for Media Missionary” he stated, “The center, which is under my management, is one of the branches of the Shiite Culture and Art Watch. We are a group of clergies who graduated from IRIB university. Ten years ago, we initiated activities to produce content in the international space. After visiting some countries to study the Shiites there and learn about their capacities and Shiite communities, we focused on the Asian Southeastern countries.”
“In this center, both written products, including books, and media products such as documentary films are produced,” Estiri continued, “To maintain contact with audiences outside of Iran, the center’s products are sent to them in the form of posters. Currently, an exhibition about the practical life of Lady Fatimah Zahra (a.s.) is being held in India by the Basir Center for Media Missionary. The focus of our center is to send content about Lady Fatimah Zahra (a.s.), Arbaeen and the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) to Shiite communities abroad.”
“We studied Shiism first-hand in the field, the result of which is the production of books and films, as well as the introduction of capabilities, customs and ulama of other countries. The measures aim to strengthen Shiite communities and provide solutions to have effective communication with these communities. Our focus is on English, Urdu, and Arabic languages. We have produced content products for India, Indonesia, Turkey, Georgia and Iraq. The reason for the dispersion of our target community is that we sought to know the geography and atlas of Shia in these countries to know what the needs of the Shiite communities in these countries are, and how we can address these needs by producing content,” said the manager of the Basir Center for Media Missionary in exhibitor of the center’s booth in the “Lights of Guidance” exhibition.
While emphasizing the need to support international activities, he said, “We are a clergy group that produces content for Shiite communities with the help of international donors. Of course, institutions such as the International and Communication Center of the Seminary and the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly have helped us.”
“We have many subjects to produce content to introduce Shiite communities,” Estiri added, “These documents need the necessary support for production. If our data from Shiite communities and their capabilities increases, we will have the power to make decisions, and as a result, we can work more and be more effective in the international field. We started working in this field ten years ago.”
“We compiled books on the Atlas of Islam in Indonesia, the history of Egypt, the life of Hazrat Abu Talib (a.s.), the practical life of Lady Fatimah Zahra (a.s.) and Shiite hadith narrators in Georgia. We have also produced documentaries about the history of Shia in Indonesia, prominent Shiite ulama in India, and Shiites in Georgia,” said the manager of the Basir Center for Media Missionary in exhibitor of the center’s booth in the “Lights of Guidance” exhibition.
“We express our gratitude to the organizers for holding this exhibition. Such exhibitions, held at any level, are fruitful for us. In this exhibition a group of organizations active in international arena participate and we can communicate with them. The “Lights of Guidance” is a specialized exhibition, and we should not expect many visitors,” he commented in the end about the “Lights of Guidance” exhibition.
It should be mentioned that on the establishment anniversary of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly, the exhibition of the achievements of institutions and organizations active in the international propagation of Islam, entitled “Lights of Guidance” is being held from Saturday, December 31, 2022, until January Thursday 5, 2023, in the conference hall of the Islamic Propagation Office of the Seminary.
It is also worth noting that the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly was established on December 31, 1990, with the aim of gathering Shiites, establishing relationships within the Shiite world, promoting Shiites seminaries, solving the problems of Shiites with other Islamic Denominations, and benefiting from real and legal capabilities of Shiites.
The Assembly was established by the order of Grand Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, on December 25, 1990, with the aim of introducing the revolutionary foundations, and thought of the Islamic system of Iran to Shiites all over the world.
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