Ali Sayyar
Bahraini newspaper founder and journalist (1926–2019)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ali Sayyar (1926–October 2019) was a veteran Bahraini journalist who founded and edited a newspaper, Al Qafilah, and a magazine, Sada Al Osbou.[1] He was one of the founding fathers of the Bahraini press.[2]
Ali Sayyar | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1926 |
| Died | October 2019 (aged 92–93) |
| Occupation | Journalist |
| Years active | 1950–2019 |
| Known for | Founder of Al Qafilah, and Sada Al Osbou |
Early life and education
Career
Before involving in journalism Sayyar worked in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.[3] He started his career in journalism in 1950 contributing to the first issue of Sawt al-Bahrain which was a monthly political magazine.[1] In his early writings in Sawt al-Bahrain he supported the members of the Free Officers in Egypt.[4] Next he founded and served as the editor-in-chief of Al Qafilah (Arabic: The Caravan), its successor Al Watan (Arabic: The Homeland) and Sada Al Osbou magazine (1969–1999).[1] Sayyar opposed the politics of Gamal Abdul Nasser in his articles in Al Watan.[4] In 1956 he joined the High Executive Committee (Arabic: al-Hay'a al-Tanfidhiyya al-Uliya) which was a cross-sectarian nationalist political movement in Bahrain.[3][5] The same year he began to work at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor in Kuwait.[3] After working there for one year he involved in business and held various positions in Bahraini companies until 1969.[3] In 1973 he became a member of the Constituent Council in Bahrain.[3] The council was established by Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the ruler of Bahrain, to review the proposals about the constitution.[6]
Later he worked for Akhbar Al Khaleej, a Bahraini newspaper, as a columnist.[7] Sayyar was the honorary member of the Bahraini Journalists Association.[8]