Amman / PNN /

The French media development agency CFI organised an art exhibition showcasing reports and stories produced under its environment and climate project, funded by the French Development Agency (AFD). The initiative trained journalists from four Arab countries to produce climate-related reports aimed at raising public awareness in the region about the importance of environmental protection.

The exhibition was held at CFI’s office in Amman, attended by the agency’s global director Emanuela Tolan, AFD’s regional director Yves Gescoro, QARIB programme director Henrik Erhnäs, QARIB editor-in-chief Nada Abdel Salam, representatives of various Arab media outlets, several media donors and members of the QARIB team in Jordan.

Henrik Ahrens, director of the QARIB media-development project, told PNN that CFI is hosting the exhibition to highlight climate and environmental productions created within the programme across four Arab countries. He said the goal is to inform audiences in Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon and Iraq about the importance of protecting the climate and countering negative environmental impacts.

Ahrens said the name “QARIB” was chosen because the programme seeks to bring journalists from the four countries closer together and produce stories that resonate “closely with the mind and the heart.” He added that the project is built on the idea of supporting independent media and enabling journalists from smaller outlets to participate in global climate summits, while also amplifying the voices of marginalised communities through stronger media coverage.

He noted that QARIB has allowed participating journalists to cover global discussions and negotiations on protecting the planet and preventing harmful climate change by raising public awareness. The exhibition, he added, is an opportunity to highlight what the journalists have achieved—written, visual and broadcast stories documenting climate-related issues.

Ahrens said CFI and QARIB trained groups of journalists and independent media professionals in the four countries on environmental and climate reporting. Journalists were supported to attend recent UN climate summits, where they produced in-depth coverage of global negotiations. Many have since developed the ability to create specialised environmental content that raises awareness in their communities.

The multi-year project provided training for independent media outlets in the four Arab countries, including PNN, aiming to build journalists’ skills and open opportunities for them to join international climate conferences.

Environmental journalist and trainer Suzanne Baaklini said QARIB trained journalists on key issues discussed at climate summits, including climate-finance negotiations, the responsibilities of major industrial countries, and the measures needed to mitigate negative environmental impacts. She said participants have since produced strong climate and environment reporting both during summits and in their home countries.

Journalists benefiting from the programme expressed their gratitude during the exhibition, stressing that the experience opened new horizons they hope to build upon.

Monjed Jadou, editor-in-chief of Palestine News Network (PNN) and founder of the “Arab Journalists for Climate” platform, said the network was proud to be part of the project. He thanked CFI and AFD for allowing PNN to cover the climate summits for several years, helping deepen regional climate reporting and raise awareness among Palestinian and Arab audiences. He noted that international reports indicate the Mediterranean Basin is among the regions most vulnerable to climate impacts and could become increasingly uninhabitable in the future.

Jadou highlighted the Arab Journalists for Climate initiative, which participating journalists agreed to establish during the climate summit in Azerbaijan. 

The volunteer-run platform covers Arab climate and environmental issues and currently seeks support to expand its work. He expressed hope that CFI would be one of its first supporters.

Lebanese journalist and climate-film producer Karam Mandar said QARIB allowed him to closely follow developments at the climate summits. After attending the past three conferences, he produced several short films on climate issues relevant to Lebanon and the wider Arab region. He expressed hope that independent media would continue to thrive in the four countries, as it plays a crucial role in amplifying public concerns, including environmental protection and climate challenges.

Mounia Dweik, director of the “Roya Palestine” channel, said the channel has recently developed its coverage of war-related environmental impacts, producing reports on the consequences of conflict on climate, land degradation, water pollution and soil contamination. She stressed the importance of addressing these issues.

Dweik added that the channel also prepared extensive climate-summit coverage, highlighting Palestinian issues throughout the events.

Jordanian journalist Abdulrahman Makawi, director of Jordan’s Aramram News, said the QARIB climate and environment project provided him with essential exposure to climate and water issues, which are of major concern to the Jordanian public. He said the outlet has since produced numerous specialised environmental reports. Makawi thanked CFI and the QARIB team for supporting young Jordanian journalists and expressed hope for more such opportunities.

The photographs showcased at the CFI exhibition—drawn from the climate reports produced through the programme—illustrated success stories and underscored the need for more support to strengthen environmental protection efforts and raise climate awareness across Arab societies, which remain among the regions most affected by climate change.

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