In cooperation with the Netherlands Embassy, Areej is launching the "100 Watts" project.
Al-Anbat -
Noor Hatamleh
Translated by : Diana AlBatran
Within the "100 Watts" project for investigative journalism, Areej, with the support of the Embassy of Kingdom of the Netherlands in Jordan, and a number of male and female journalists participating in Jordan held a roundtable discussion session today, Tuesday, entitled "The Journey of Young Journalists in Jordan: Drawing the Future", on the occasion of launching 100 watts" podcast.
Sponsored Under the auspices and presence of the Netherlands Ambassador in Amman, Mr. Harry Verweij, and the session moderated by the Executive Director of Areej Rawan Al Damen with the participation of 4 journalists from the project and the radio presenter Yara Joban .
In the beginning of the session AL-Damen said
"Without journalists, there is no press, there is no democracy, and every threat against any journalist is a threat to the freedom of each of us”. We stand today and every day with the protection of journalists and we raise our voice on the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against male and female journalists, who is affirm on the 2nd of November every year.
She noted that today's events are taking place today in all the face-to-face and virtual worlds using "100 Watts” were announced on the hashtag to end impunity hash tag so, Areej choose this day to launch the podcast as well as the start of using the "100 watts" hashtag to announce that Areej had chosen to launch the podcast on this particular day, because "100 watts" was the professional press voice that sought to raise the voice of society's issues with confidence, credibility, accuracy and freedom.
Al-Damen added that the project is an experiment over the current year launching since October last year secured by the Embassy of the Netherlands in Jordan, It has been a genuine and serious supporter and partner. and the invitation launched in December of the same year for more than 240 male and female competitors to apply for the grant and selecting 100 from all governorates of the Kingdom, in addition to Arab journalists living and working in Jordan.
Mr. Harry Vervay the Dutch Ambassador stated that he felt happy to be a part of this experience in the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists based on the importance of today to provide proper protection and security for journalists around the world.
The Ambassador added that standing bravely with journalists around the world is not confined on today but its every day, and that all crimes against journalists and media workers must be investigated and punished with the full force of justice.
He explained that With regard to democracy, the press and the media play a key role in providing citizens with accurate and impartial information so that they can obtain their views and decisions. Without freedom of expression, it is difficult to defend human rights, because it allows journalists to stand against violations and push the government to take an actions.
And he kept talking, the press considered the oxygen and breathing of communities. We see attempts to suppress and intimidate all journalists throughout the world which is frustrating and refers to attempts to keep silence in various ways like surveillance and intimidation to murder.
In addition, hundreds of journalists around the world are arrested or imprisoned.
And worse many of the crimes committed against media workers are left with impunity, and according to the United Nations, only 1 in 10 violations have been condemned over the past decade, the journalist feel insecure and shyaway of potential problems and if he risks he will face serious consequences.
And he said, today we're launching the "100 Watts" project, which trained 100 newly graduated journalists, media students and veteran journalists for ten months, to reach the efficiency required to produce local investigations, additional global and impact form, noting that the project is the gateway to professional global investigative journalism, Because Areej believed in the ability of journalism to make real change, this project pays special attention to the new generation of journalists in Jordan to refine their skills and provide them with the necessary protection in publishing and communicating in a professional manner.
Finally, the Ambassador said that today is the day to celebrate journalists and to ensure a suitable environment for them, because they are determined to convey and express stories despite all the challenges on and in the battle they face in their journey to a free press in this country.
On their side, participants in "100 Watts" spoke of the positives they had gained, the challenges they faced during the course of their work on the project, and their happiness that they had been part of this diverse team that had given them the opportunity, support and protection needed, as well as the experience they had gained.
At the end of the session, the first episode of the podcast was shown before it was launched on websites, entitled "Free Speech Capped by Arrest."
Rawan Al-Damen ended the talk by explaining the importance of the voice in media, its resonance and its impact on the showcasing of stories, and confirmed that, although the investigation journalism takes a long time but it lives a long time unlike other media and journalism arts , focused on the impact that would achieve from this work and new launching project.
