On November 17th, the May Chidiac Foundation (MCF) in partnership with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF) held an E-panel titled “Assault on Global Media Freedom” moderated by Union of Human Dignity’s founder Mr. Joe Maalouf. This E-Panel was held under the “Free Connected Minds” Conference and tackled the violations, attacks and discrimination against journalists and media personnel. In this panel discussion Ms. Sofia Amara, French Moroccan Journalist and film director, Mr. Luis Buens Padilla, EU regional Media officer, Ms. Barbra Trionfi, Executive Director of the International Press Institute and Ms. Rawan Damen, Director General of Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism (ARIJ) conversed with the moderator Mr. Maalouf. This conference was an opportunity to give media workers the visibility they deserve, and to commit to concrete actions on the ground to push back against harassment or attacks.
For Qarama, this panel was one which tackled what is at the core of the organization being freedom of speech. In the event it was discussed how despite the demonstrable value of media freedoms in times of crisis, journalists and media workers have in numerous countries been subjected to acts of intimidation, killings, violence, arbitrary detentions, and prosecutions simply for doing their work. Men and women in clearly marked press jackets, engaged in covering demonstrations and clashes, have been attacked, apparently deliberately, by police. Moreover, it was explored further how governments have a duty to prohibit hateful, inciteful speech but many abuse their authority to silence peaceful dissent by passing laws criminalising freedom of expression. It was also agreed upon how important it is to look at how journalism itself in regions should be re-defined.
The project was pre-recorded on the 15th of November between the panelists and moderator and was live on the 17th of November during a series of panels organized by MCF and FNF from the 16th of November to the 19th of November under the Free Connected Minds 2021 conference.