Future News Worldwide (FNW) is a partnership programme between the British Council and some of the world's leading media organisations. This programme identifies, trains and connects the next generation of journalists from around the world.
Each year this 2-day event brings together 100 of the world's most talented, motivated and passionate aspiring reporters on a single platform for an intensive media training programme in the UK with top editors, broadcasters, writers and reporters. These aspiring reporters are coached exclusively and also get to witness how publishers around the globe use technology to uncover stories and bring them to life.
Since 2017, Qatar has witnessed the evolving of three young aspiring journalists who were selected to be part of the FNW and had the opportunity to be part of this prestigious, life-changing programme at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh in Scotland, UK.
These three young women from Qatar are Rajja Aderdor who was the only person from Qatar to be selected among 100 participants from around the world to take part in the FNW in 2017, while Sabrin Falhi and Salsabeel Zeineddin were the only two persons to be selected from Qatar for the FNW in 2018.
Rajja Aderdor is from Morocco, but grew up between Kenya and Nigeria before coming to Qatar where she currently lives and studies. She is currently in her senior year of a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in TV Broadcast and Journalism, and English Linguistics.
Apart from academics, she is interested in human rights and education specifically refugee crises around the world; she has been working in this field since 2016 starting with UNHCR. She likes to visualize stories, bring them to life and deliver them as clear and lively as possible. Her aim for the future is to use her photography and film skills to visualise stories that are not being told by the traditional media.
Sabrin Falhi is an english literature student at Qatar University. She is 22-years-old and comes from a biracial background (Finnish-Tunisian). She would like to see herself as someone who is able to relay the story through visual means.
Salsabeel Zeineddin is an English language graduate. She has a Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in international relations and political sciences. She has worked as a journalist, translator and writer. She enjoys photography and is in love with photojournalism which has become very popular and easier to use with Instagram.
ILQ talks to these three young and confident ladies from Qatar about their experience at FNW, what they learnt and how they will contribute to the development of Qatar as women in the media.
Rajja: It started when I was little; it was more like doing what I enjoyed than a decision, I have always enjoyed playing with cameras and taking random pictures with old film. When I graduated from school and had to choose a major for university, I had to decide between many options, but I deeply knew that media and film was the way to go since it’s my passion and I can create and learn more professionally.
In my experience I have always believed in the power of images and visual data to deliver information more than text, images deliver ideas and what is happening much faster and could be understood internationally without the language border. I am interested in both visual and written media, specifically film and documentaries since they require both visual and written creativity.
Sabrin: I have always been very intrigued by the way media works as well as how stories of others are being narrated and brought to the light. Moreover, the idea of storytelling through creative means has played a big role in my choice of career.
TV and radio broadcasting speak out to me the most, however, I would not necessarily restrict my interest into one pool or a platform.
Salsabeel: I was born in Gaza in Palestine, which is a conflict area and full of war crimes. I tried to get a B.A. Degree in journalism, but it was in Arabic, so I decided to study the English language to enhance my language skills. This went on to help me in the media where I thought Arabic was not enough to tell our stories and limited my scope. I like to tell my stories through photojournalism in the humanitarian field.
Rajja: I found out about FNW from a university professor, Dr. Mohamed El Kafrawi, who recommended I apply. After looking more into it, I decided to apply since it serves my passion for journalism and cultural communication; it was a perfect opportunity in so many different ways. I would like to give my special thanks to Dr. El Kafrawi for his support and the recommendation.
Sabrin: Actually, Rajaa Aderdor (one of the interviewees) was a FNW 2017 delegate and briefed about her experiences and the aftermath of the event. Thus, I would say she was the source behind my motivation to apply.
Salsabeel: I was doing my MA in Qatar, while one of my colleges shared the link on the Facebook group. I applied for two reasons. My first reason was to find a way for myself in the media world, where I could engage with different kinds of journalism all over the world, which was a great chance. My second reason was to study the English language. I read much a lot about English history and this made me eager to visit Britain and Scotland.
Rajja: At first, I received the acceptance e-mail thinking it was a rejection and I did not look into it much, until later in the day, when I read the e-mail carefully. I was very happy and excited; the e-mail had a link to a WhatsApp group for all the accepted delegates and the rest was all about getting to know each other and making new international friends.
Sabrin: I was very overwhelmed, yet excited in a sense that I was now taking one step forward in my career.
Salsabeel: It felt awesome, since they said we were the only two who were selected from Qatar. It made me feel proud.
Rajja: Genius! This opportunity gave us the chance to meet and interact with other journalists from all over the world, and to meet some of the most impactful senior media experts. I think the world needs more initiatives like FNW to create a better connection between different cultures.
Sabrin: It is definitely a great concept for a great cause. British Council has created an open space for young starting journalists to learn from professionals but also network with each other. Through FNW you create these bonds with other journalists all over the world who are there to help and be the source.
Salsabeel: To be honest it was one of my best experiences, I think it is a good chance for a youth journalist to be engaged in such an atmosphere. It opens doors for many chances in the future.
Rajja: It was a great experience traveling all the way to Scotland to meet young journalists from all over the world, I have learned a lot and, most importantly, made a lot of new friendships with people who share the same passion as mine.
Sabrin: I would classify FNW as one of the greatest experiences of my life so far. The different speakers and the varying content was informative, but also very motivational. I had the chance to meet journalists from all over the world and see the different fields of interest within journalism, whether it was sports, politics or fashion related. It was great to share the same passion with so many inspiring journalists.
There were so many important lessons learned whether it was journalist ethics, humanity, technology or law. However, perhaps the other delegates showed me that, regardless of the differences on the surface, we can all find uncanny similarities within. In this case, one of them was the eagerness of telling the tales of others. It shows that as a journalist with such an open mindset, you can probably work anywhere, anytime and with anyone.
Salsabeel: It was a 3-day event; on the first day, we arrived at the Bara House in Scotland and we had a meeting and dinner at the Scottish Parliament. In less than 5 minutes, I was having conversations with many delegates from Arab countries, South Africa, and Europe. I made a global network and friendships in one night.
In the other two days, we had different sessions with different topics. I still remember Melissa Bell’s words: “Know your worth and your purpose. Try to be better every day.” This kind of statement gives you the energy to keep up in your adventure.
One of the most attractive session’s was held by Yusuf Omar who made ‘Hashtag Our Stories’ (which has empowered 200 mobile journalists in 40 countries to tell stories with their phones) who taught us about a new concept: mobile journalism.
Rajja: It is already helping me find opportunities to collaborate with wonderful young journalists from all over the world.
Sabrin: Obviously all the key factors and lessons learned throughout the event are always going to be a big part of me and act as a reminder when taking the next step.
Salsabeel: Networking is a key element for any journalist, so imagine you have that big and wide network of people from all over the world. I can exchange ideas and opportunities with the delegates from all over the world. I can ask about any topic and I will find many resources in different languages and with different points of view.
Rajja: Since the event took place after the blockade in 2017, I got asked a lot about the political scene in Qatar, how Qatar was facing the challenges and the way it was affecting the people’s lives. I was glad to correct any misconceptions and give them a clearer idea about what was happening in Qatar. It was also a great chance to discuss and give my opinion as someone who comes from the Middle East and compare the differences of the media scenes.
Sabrin: I would dare to say that I gave a good amount of perspective coming from a biracial background and living in Qatar. In a way, it was a give and take type of a relationship with the other delegates because we were able to brief each other on news of our countries and how the media works differently.
Salsabeel: I could not have imagined myself being with this variety of people, religions, and languages. It was exciting to hear from the other people how they faced problems in travelling, about their countries’ conflicts, or about how these people see the world.
I had the chance to speak to people about Palestine and Gaza, the blockade in Qatar, about my experience in Qatar and how this has changed my life. I received many questions about my Hijab and how Muslim girls survive in this world. I had to explain to many why we had to eat Halal food, why we don't drink beer, and why some Muslim women don't shake hands or hug the opposite sex. It has been both a cultural and journalistic experience at the same time.
Rajja: Christina Lamb! I was so excited to meet her even before FNW and it was very inspiring to hear her story and how she spent many years of her life covering stories in Afghanistan to writing one of my favourite books, 'I Am Malala'.
Sabrin: There were many amazing speakers from CNN, Reuters and Vox for instance, however, David Pratt, a contributing foreign editor at the Herald Scotland stood out the most. Pratt is a journalist with experience in war and conflict zones, thus, he reminded every single one of us that at the end of the day humanity (benevolence) is a key factor in journalism and in every journalist.
Salsabeel: I had interesting lectures with amazing lecturers, talking about journalism in the world, Middle East, women, and journalism in the conflict areas. All of these topics were very interesting to me, especially the Middle East and conflict areas. In addition, we had some lecture about the new tools of journalism which were we had an exciting time to discover the technology of journalism.
Yusuf Omer who took us through his journey towards co-founding ‘Hashtag Our Stories’ (which has empowered 200 mobile journalists in 40 countries to tell stories with their phones) gave one of the most interesting lectures. I liked his lecture because I felt it related to my field in the media.
Since I worked with ‘We Are Not Numbers’ (stories written by Palestinian young writers that tell the human stories behind the numbers in the news). I was part of this program, but I always felt it was not enough to write a story. I learnt that we had to tell our stories with our own voice, not just words, but making videos of our stories which would be more effective.
Rajja: As clear as possible and without bringing my own opinion into the story. Stories should be raw when they are published without opinionating them, this is why I love photography because it is a tool to deliver stories as they are and helps maintain neutrality.
Sabrin: I think it is good to find yourself within the story and make it meaningful. However, most importantly, remember that the stories are about people and therefore their tales lay in the delivery and representation methods. In the end, it’s all about doing journalism with a purpose. As Vox Media publisher Melissa Bell said “Work with and for your audience.”
Salsabeel: I think photo will tell much more than words, at the same time photo sometimes needs words to explain what was before and after this photo. Therefore, I would like to tell story by both words and photos.
Rajja: Journalism’s power is in telling genuine life changing stories, and I believe the more youth are involved in journalism the more evolved it becomes, and that is what Qatar needs. I feel optimistic about journalism in Qatar, there are many young people who are starting to indulge and contribute on social media to the journalism scene whether it is by Instagram pictures that document the lifestyle or by written content.
Sabrin: Journalism’s power is in telling genuine life changing stories, and I believe the more youth are involved in journalism the more evolved it becomes, and that is what Qatar needs. I feel optimistic about journalism in Qatar, there are many young people who are starting to indulge and contribute on social media to the journalism scene whether it is by Instagram pictures that document the lifestyle or by written content
Salsabeel: I think Qatar is doing very well in the journalism field especially on the political field and the sport field. This is was obvious after the blockade Qatar last year. I saw credibility although it was tense period.
Rajja: Being a girl that chose journalism since the beginning, I see that all it takes is the courage to build your name as a journalist, use social media tools and available resources smartly. Qatar’s society supports women journalists in a way that I haven’t seen in many other parts of the world and the environment is very encouraging.
Sabrin: One of the speakers, Catherine Gicheru, Country Manager of Code4Kenya suggested that women are barely occupying any high rank media positions worldwide. In other words, it seems that globally media jobs are lacking a female perspective which could suggest that there is always space to improve. Qatar is a progressive country and more and more women are joining the journalism field now.
Salsabeel: I came to Qatar as a student, so I did not get involved too much in the journalism industry, but with my little experience through training, I found many opportunities as a woman in journalism here.
Rajja: My aim is to contribute to the media on a broader and more international level. There is a misconception around the world about Muslim women and that we cannot pursue or express what we want. I want to work on altering that misconception. Also, I want to cover more stories and issues that are not talked about much in the media such as humanitarian issues, education and sustainable development.
Sabrin: Possibly bring a different perspective to the storytelling and its aesthetics. Also, be part of the growing future of the media and help push it towards its progressive goals.
Salsabeel: I don’t have any idea yet, but I think I have the enthusiasm to show and tell my experience in Qatar. I would like to tell the world about the safety, stability and the beauty of Qatar and its people.
Rajja: Yes, journalism before, was mostly related to written articles and newspapers. Now thanks to social media, it has become more expressive and news reaches millions of people within a few seconds.
Sabrin: I think it has become more creative and diversified with the ‘social media generation.’ Come to think of it, social media is where the popular culture and ideas are born, and this is reflected in the influence it has on journalism in Qatar which is very progressive.
Salsabeel: Sure, everything is changing very quickly within the world of media in Qatar in parallel with the rapid development of technology, which I can say, affects the political situation for any country. This is was very clear last year when, as soon as the news broke, people were immediately talking about the "hacking of Qatari websites", which was a serious sign of interference in the affairs of a sovereign state like Qatar. Therefore, I think social media, today, is taking the country and its politics to another stage.
Rajja: I want to tell all the girls in Qatar and everywhere not to give up on their passion for journalism and not limit their storytelling abilities based on what they are used to. Give a chance to your creativity to be the tool with which you tell stories well, that way you will have your own unique work that will free your creativity.
Sabrin: I would tell them to go pursue journalism wholeheartedly, with a purpose and a brave mindset.
Salsabeel: I would love to encourage you to work hard to get into this field. In Qatar, you will not face and problems in getting into this field because you are a woman. It is a safe country where you can practice journalism with freedom of expression. I worked in Palestine as a journalist and it was not that easy as compared to Qatar, which provides the environment and tools for learning and development
Rajja: Absolutely! I have been encouraging my friends to apply. Since I participated in 2017, FNW changed my perspective about journalism and media and helped me develop my skills in a way that made my work more effective. I am so thankful to two of my friends who got the chance to participate in FNW 2018 and I hope we see even more young people from Qatar participate in the next editions!
Sabrin: Every aspiring young journalist should apply for the FNW programme. It is a great contribution towards journalism and media, and a good experience for one’s career because you will not only become part of a big journalist network, but you also get to learn from the very best in the heart of beautiful Scotland.
Salsabeel: Sure, FNW is a great opportunity to see the other point of view of this world, to be introduced to other type of journalism you might never have heard of. It is a good opportunity to become part of a wider network, which will help you to get more involved in the field of journalism.
Are you an aspiring journalist? Do you think you have what it takes to pursue a career in journalism? Do you think you have what it takes to be a part of the FNW? Would you like to mingle amongst media people from around the world? Do let us know what you think in our Comments section. Like and share the article – it keeps us going!
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