Covering Human Interest Stories in Lebanon

The workshop brought together 16 journalists from Syria, Lebanon and Palestine who deepened and solidified their knowledge in covering and tackling human interest stories. 50% of the participants were Syrians, 50% women and 93% less than 35 years old. 

The workshop focused on the importance of humanitarian coverage in Lebanon with a special focus on sensitive topics from refugees to women and child rights. The main topics discussed were human interest stories, how to cover them in a very considerate way, how to focus on the psychological health of the interviewees and on the journalists themselves as when they are covering sensitive topics and stories that have a heavy humanitarian toll on them. The workshop focused also on the psychological impact and effects that such work may have on the interviewees and the journalists themselves. 

This type of training and support is particularly important for media outlets and journalists in Lebanon especially nowadays with the rise of vulnerability due to the economic and political crisis that the country is facing. 

“I have spent three days with my colleagues in this workshop facilitated by the journalist Luna Safwan who did her utmost to deliver a very valuable content in a very flexible and accessible way. During this workshop, I discovered in myself the passion to express my opinions. Luna Safwan awakened in me a love to be a fighter and cover human-interest stories.” Mayssa Atwi