Journalism in a Time of Colliding Crises: Practical Training on Building Resilience for Journalists in Lebanon

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Journalism in a Time of Colliding Crises: Practical Training on Building Resilience for Journalists in Lebanon

Dart Center

Statements | Lebanon

Wednesday , 10 March 2021

News professionals in Lebanon carry on their work amid a society contending with profound and intersecting crises. Political instability, Covid-19, the collapse of the economy and increased attacks on the media, along with the aftermath of the 2020 port explosion, all underscore the vital role journalism must play in Lebanon’s future, and at the same time place additional pressures on those covering “the story”. The effects of trauma on individuals, families, communities and society at large are the unavoidable reality of Beirut’s next chapter. Aftermath and recovery are now both the story which needs covering, and the daunting daily reality of Lebanon-based journalists’ own lives.

This multi-part workshop organised by the Dart Centre for Journalism and Trauma will prepare news professionals for working amid protracted crisis, exploring resilience and what it takes to sustain journalists and their journalism during this critical period. Divided over two separate training sessions with an optional follow-up session, the workshop will cover:

what trauma is and how it interacts with other stressors
how to make effective and ethical reporting choices when covering community trauma
approaches to countering harassment and intimidation
practical steps for self-care in difficult times
using social and collegial support to stay resilient and being a supportive colleague

The program will be led by Khaled Nasser, a trauma therapist based in Beirut; Gavin Rees, the Dart Center’s Senior Advisor for Training and Innovation; and Rania Abouzeid, a Beirut-based journalist and Dart Center Ochberg Fellow. These workshops are designed both for journalists covering Lebanon for local media and those based in Lebanon reporting for international platforms. It is open to staff and freelance journalists.

We are offering two tracks: one in English and one in Arabic, all sessions run from 16:00 to 17:30 Beirut time.

Track One - English:

Training Part 1, 25 March
Training Part 2, 1 April
Networking and follow-up session, 8 April

Track Two - Arabic:

Training Part 1, 27 March
Training Part 2, 3 April
Networking and follow-up session, 10 April

To secure a place in this program, please submit an application form here as numbers are limited.

More on the trainers:

Khaled Nasser, PhD, is a mental health and communications consultant who specializes in trauma management, parenting and couple therapy. Khaled provides trauma therapy and training sessions to journalists exposed to tensions in the Middle East. He is a lecturer in communication at the Lebanese American University (LAU) and the American University of Beirut (AUB), and has a private practice in Beirut.

Rania Abouzeid is a multi-award winning journalist and the author of No Turning Back: Life, Loss, and Hope in Wartime Syria (2018), and Sisters of the War: Two Remarkable True Stories of Survival and Hope in Syria (2020). She has received a number of fellowships including the Dart Center’s Ochberg fellowship and the Nieman at Harvard University.

Gavin Rees is Senior Advisor for Training and Innovation at the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma. Since 2008 he has been working as a consultant and trainer for newsrooms, media-support organisations, and journalism schools across Europe as well as in Africa and the Middle East. Previously, Gavin produced business and political news for US, British and Japanese news channels, and has worked on drama and documentary films for the BBC, Channel 4 and independent film companies.