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| Samir Kassir Foundation | |
|---|---|
| Name | Samir Kassir Foundation |
| Native name | مؤسسة سمير قصير |
| Founded | 2006 |
| Founder | Samir Kassir |
| Location | Beirut |
| Area served | Lebanon, Middle East |
| Focus | Press freedom, Human rights, Civic activism |
Samir Kassir Foundation
The Samir Kassir Foundation was established in Beirut in 2006 to promote press freedom, democracy and human rights across the Middle East and North Africa. The foundation commemorates the Lebanese intellectual Samir Kassir and works alongside media outlets, civil society groups and international institutions such as Reporters Without Borders, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization to defend independent journalism and public liberties. It engages with universities like the American University of Beirut, policy centers including the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and governments represented by embassies and multilateral organizations like the European Union.
The foundation was created after the assassination of Samir Kassir and launched programs drawing on partnerships with entities such as The Economist Intelligence Unit, Freedom House, International Federation of Journalists, Committee to Protect Journalists, Open Society Foundations and the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture. Early milestones included collaborations with Lebanon's press outlets like An-Nahar, As-Safir and Al-Akhbar, regional networks such as the Arab Journalists Association, and international research produced in cooperation with institutions including Columbia University's School of Journalism, Harvard Kennedy School and the London School of Economics. The foundation expanded activities during events like the 2006 Lebanon War, the Arab Spring uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, Syria and Bahrain, and crises in Iraq and Yemen.
The foundation’s stated mission emphasizes protection of journalists and promotion of freedom of expression, aligning with mandates of United Nations Human Rights Council, European Court of Human Rights, International Criminal Court advocacy, and monitoring mechanisms used by Reporters Without Borders and Committee to Protect Journalists. Activities bridge grants, training, legal aid, and advocacy, often coordinated with NGOs such as Transparency International, International Center for Transitional Justice, Access Now and Index on Censorship. It supports investigative reporting in partnership with outlets like Al Jazeera, BBC Arabic, France 24, The New York Times and The Guardian.
Programmatic work includes fellowships and training modeled after programs at Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, Nieman Foundation, ICFJ and regional initiatives like the Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism. Projects have addressed digital security in cooperation with Mozilla Foundation, Electronic Frontier Foundation, and Internews Network, while legal-defense projects partnered with International Commission of Jurists and academic centers such as Columbia Law School and Yale Law School. Initiatives targeted press freedom in countries including Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Palestine, Iraq and Libya. The foundation organized conferences alongside The Wilson Center, The Brookings Institution, Chatham House, German Marshall Fund, Atlantic Council, International Crisis Group and Open Society programs.
The foundation has produced reports, policy briefs and translations collaborating with publishers and think tanks such as Routledge, Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press, Middle East Institute, Carnegie Middle East Center, Arab Center Washington DC, Brookings Doha Center and academic journals including Middle East Journal, Journal of Democracy and Third World Quarterly. Research topics have included media law reforms, safety of journalists, media ownership, and transitional justice with contributors from Paris-Sorbonne University, University of Oxford, Princeton University, Stanford University, Université Saint-Joseph, Beyrouth Arab University and legal scholars linked to International Law Commission standards.
Funding and partnerships have involved international donors and institutions such as the European Commission, United Nations Development Programme, European Endowment for Democracy, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Canada, and private foundations including Ford Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Sigrid Rausing Trust and Anna Lindh Foundation. Collaborative projects were run with media organizations like AFP, Reuters, Bloomberg, Al-Monitor, HuffPost, and regional NGOs such as Arab NGO Network for Development and Civic Freedom Monitor.
The foundation’s governance has featured boards and advisors drawing on figures from Lebanese and international civil society, academia and journalism, including alumni of American University of Beirut, Université Saint-Joseph, Haigazian University, and professionals from BBC, Al Jazeera, Le Monde', Agence France-Presse and legal advisors linked to International Bar Association. Organizational structure included program directors, fellows, researchers, and administrative staff coordinating with consulates, embassies, and multilateral bodies like UNESCO, UNDP, OSCE and Council of Europe.
The foundation’s work has been cited by NGOs including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Committee to Protect Journalists, Reporters Without Borders and by media outlets such as The New York Times, The Guardian, Le Monde, Al Jazeera English and BBC News for contributions to press freedom debates. Academic citations appeared in publications from Princeton University Press, Oxford University Press and research centers like Chatham House and Carnegie Endowment assessing media pluralism, journalist safety, and public accountability in Lebanon and the wider Arab world. Critics and supporters referenced the foundation’s role during political events like the 2009 Lebanese general election, 2019–2020 Lebanese protests, and international discussions on media regulation and digital rights.
Category:Non-profit organisations based in Lebanon