Ramallah – 19/05/2018 The General Assembly of the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) held its annual meeting, reviewed the administrative and financial reports and selected a new board of directors for the center.

Dr. Ghani Hanania, Chairman of the Board of Directors, opened the meeting with a welcoming speech, in which he expressed his and the other members of the board  pride regarding all MADA achievements on the local and international levels all due to the high credibility and professionalism of the center, he acknowledged the support and praised the role of MADA’s local and international partners.

Director General of MADA Mousa Rimawi reviewed the contents of the administrative report for 2017 and pointed out that the center continued to monitor violations against media freedoms in Palestine and launched four media campaigns as part of efforts to develop media performance and promote freedom of expression and digital rights. The center held a national conference for women journalists, and continued its efforts in implementing workshops on legal empowerment for women journalists, MADA was an active player among all other civil society organizations to enhance the legal environment regulating media, besides, to its international memberships in many platforms that was used efficiently to promote media freedoms and advocate for further support.

The financial report of the Center was then reviewed and discussed, which was audited by the To’meh Auditing Office / Moore Stephens International.

At the end of the meeting and after the approval by the General Assembly of the administrative and financial reports, the election of a new Board of Directors of nine members, including 4 women. The elected board of directors held a meeting in which the administrative posts were distributed among its members. Dr. Ghazi Hanania was elected as the chairman of the council, and Lubna Al-Ashqar was appointed as vice chairman. Dr. Taleb Awad, treasurer, Adv. Sana Arnaki Secretary, and Nihad Abu Ghosh, Samia Wazwaz, Hussein Shabana, Nahed Abu Ta'ima and Khaled Darwish.