MADA Center Elected to the Steering Committee of the Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD)
Ramallah – July 18, 2025 – The members of the Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD), comprising 215 representatives from around the world, have elected SHIREEN AL-KHATIB, Acting Director of the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA), to the Forum’s Steering Committee representing the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. This milestone reflects the international media community’s trust in MADA’s active role in promoting and developing media freedom and defending journalists’ rights in Palestine and the broader region.
The election results and the names of the newly elected committee members were announced on the evening of Wednesday, July 16, 2025. The first meeting of the new Steering Committee is scheduled to take place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, this coming November, in conjunction with the 2025 Global Investigative Journalism Conference, during which the committee will elect a Chair, Vice-Chair, and Treasurer.
This election comes at a critical time, as the Palestinian media landscape faces escalating challenges and systematic violations of media freedoms and freedom of expression amidst the ongoing genocide. MADA’s inclusion in the Steering Committee represents a strategic opportunity to bring the voices of Palestinian journalists to global platforms and contribute to the development of more equitable and inclusive media policies.
MADA’s role on the committee will support both the organization and Palestine by ensuring the representation of Palestinian media in global decision-making bodies, and by spotlighting the state of media freedoms under occupation and within the domestic sphere. Through its membership, MADA also aims to contribute to global efforts to strengthen independent and professional media, while sharing the Palestinian media experience with attention to its unique context and developmental needs. Additionally, this role will enable the building of strategic partnerships and cooperation with international institutions and media networks, helping to develop Palestinian media capacities and enhance access to funding and technical support.
MADA reaffirms its full commitment to engaging constructively and effectively within the GFMD Steering Committee to serve the aspirations of Palestinian media professionals and elevate Palestine’s standing in global media forums.
