AnNahar has had a long and rich history of advocating for press freedom and championing significant causes. Tragically, our own editor-in-chief Gebran Tueni was assassinated in 2005, followed shortly after by our star journalist Samir Kassir, so we’ve become accustomed to the silencing of the guardians of truth.

UNESCO figures show that 2023 has been a particularly deadly year for journalists who work in conflict zones, with killings almost doubling compared to the past three years. Shockingly, there is no specific law to protect journalists, and international laws fail to explicitly criminalize attacks against them.

The brief was to honor Gebran Tueni's sacrifice by not only providing a measure of security to journalists in conflict zones, but to utilize the newspaper edition in raising a voice for stronger measures to protect journalists.

On January 23, 2024, for the first time in its 90 year history, AnNahar Newspaper launched an entire daily edition printed in the form of a foldable, survival guide for journalists, designed to be portable and accessible to them in the field.

Illustrated with detailed instructions on surviving what in our experience are the most dangerous threats to a reporter on the field, the edition was also an invitation to a masterclass on safety techniques, held at AnNahar headquarters in Beirut and live-streamed to the world.

Ultimately, the edition in its poignant commentary became a petition to be mailed to the UN Secretary General's office to push for better legal protection of reporters in conflict zones.

Not only is the Middle East a hotbed for these targeted journalist attacks, but also due to the dire economic conditions in the region, many of these reporters lack the necessary training to navigate the challenging political environments of the region. Despite donning press helmets for protection, they remain vulnerable to targeting and fatal attacks, with over half of the journalists’ deaths occurring while they were dressed in protective gear. So, we knew we had to ensure they were firstly educated, and secondly protected. This would be our best PR strategy: to become the protection we advocated.

We transformed our newspaper into an accessible, foldable safety manual format, incorporating clear illustrations to promote easier understanding. Through extensive research, we curated the most critical information tailored to reporters operating in conflict zones, ensuring that the guidebook included practical and actionable tips. The illustration style was inspired by classic Lebanese newsprint drawings.

We also conducted thorough research to draft a compelling petition advocating for protective legislation, and finally, we organized an online crash course within the AnNahar building, temporarily transforming the space into a journalism university.

We made sure to carefully select expert speakers to share valuable insights and guidance with these aspiring journalists. The printed edition itself culminated in a petition to the United Nations to enforce better legislation that would protect reporters on the field in conflict zones.

The print edition sold out quickly, and became one of AnNahar's most popular ones, turning quickly into a collector's edition. The campaign garnered widespread attention on Twitter, rapidly becoming a viral sensation, and earning our message $12 million worth of media impressions.

The masterclass held at AnNahar's headquarters saw an attendance of journalists from 28 different countries, taking the message globally. The online PDF of the edition was downloaded several hundred times across the world.

The accompanying petition calling for legislation to protect journalists in conflict zones brought significant support, with thousands of readers and journalists signing it. AnNahar's edition, transformed into a survival guide, was widely shared not only among high-level journalists and reporters but also amongst the general public.