An-Nahar Newspaper is taking a strong stance against the alarming death toll of journalists around the world, by releasing their daily edition as a foldable on-field guide dedicated to saving the lives of journalists.
The collaboration between the Lebanese newspaper and IMPACT BBDO to create and distribute The Essential Press Guide from the region, along with a free online and on-ground curriculum hosted by subject matter experts, represents a significant effort to support journalism and media education.
By making this guide and curriculum available to journalists worldwide, they are not only promoting the dissemination of accurate and insightful reporting but also fostering a community of learning and collaboration among journalists.
This initiative could potentially have a positive impact on the quality and integrity of journalism, particularly in the region where the guide originates.
An-Nahar Editor-in-Chief Nayla Tueni, said: “Today, we give our words to protect those that write them. Every single day, journalists in the Middle East and across the world are exposed to threats to their safety and well-being. Too often, they are silenced all together. We know this all too well. Our own editor-in-chief, my father, Gibran Tueni, was assassinated in 2005.”
The inclusion of survival information such as how to spot a sniper, treat a gunshot wound in the field, and inspect vehicles for bombs and other threats in the foldable edition of The Essential Press Guide is both practical and potentially life-saving.
The edition also includes an invite to a special training session at An-Nahar headquarters in Beirut and online, as well as online sessions, for journalists interested in learning from experts such as the International Red Cross and other speakers who have experience in combat zones.
While the edition is intended to be kept as a critical field guide for reporting in the most dangerous area of the world, it is equally dedicated to demanding that the international community, governments, NGOs and media organisations come together for the establishment and enforcement of a crucial international law and framework for the protection of journalist in war zones, armed conflicts, protests and all high-risk areas, with a petition that every reader is empowered to sign and share.
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) announced on 31 December that 120 journalists were killed in 2023, the majority of whom lost their lives in the region.
“Many died wearing blue flak jackets and helmets with PRESS written on them. In fact, this does very little to offer them any form of additional protection,” said Tueni.
In light of this dramatic rise in death toll, the IFJ calls on world governments to adopt an international binding Convention to protect journalists’ safety and independence – a call that An-Nahar’s ‘Essential Press Guide From the Middle East’ aims to not only echo, but amplify to enact global change.
