Joe Maalouf, the president and founder of QARAMA, at the World Press Freedom Conference
WRITTEN BY YASMINE EL JURDIThe World Press Freedom Conference 2020 held in The Hague / Netherlands was a unique meeting to coordinate with press freedom defenders from all around the globe. For 2 days, viewers partook in intuitive discussions and attended meetings, reviews and WPFC television recaps about the most major problems confronting the media in these exceptional times. The conference also focused on discussing the immense power of journalism and its role in the future of societies.
Joe Maalouf, the founder, and president of QARAMA – Human Dignity Union, was invited to host and moderate 2 panels. The first panel was held on the 9th of December 2020. Malouf alongside Preethi Nallu, a journalist and advocacy specialist international media support, discussed the following "Global Challenges, Local Situations: Media Responses to COVID – 19".
In the second panel hosted by SIMA and project Syndicate held on the 10th of December 2020, Maalouf was joined by Agnes Binagwaho, Vice Chancellor University of Global Health Equity, Christophe Deloire, Executive Director Reporters sans frontiers, and Marietje Schaake, President of the CyberPeace institute. In this panel the discussion focused on bringing journalists and media personnel together. The session was titled: “The World in 2020: Journalism Redefined”. The purpose behind it was for the viewers to question, raise concerns, demand change, and hopefully get answers regarding the future of journalism.
Joe Maalouf ended the panel by shedding light on the importance of freedom of expression in democratic countries whether they are advanced or advancing. He emphasized on the importance of the life of every journalist, TV host and producer. He indicated that their safety is the upmost priority so they can be able to do their job freely without fear or threat.
"Journalism without fear or favor". This is what Malouf stated during his closing speech. He also asserted, " I hope that after this conference, we are all reminded, on the importance of our fight for the freedom of expression in the press, because whatever has been done is not enough." He ended his speech by reminding people that they still have a long way to free themselves from the oppression of the ones in control of the media in hopes that one day we'll be able to achieve that.
