This month, John DeBlasio, Executive Director of the GPD Charitable Trust, co-founder and longtime supporter of Syria Direct visited Syria Direct’s office, headquartered in Amman, Jordan. There, DeBlasio met with the Syrian editorial team and heard firsthand about Syria Direct’s recent work and upcoming projects. DeBlasio was accompanied by fellow co-founder and Emmy Award-winning journalist, Amjad Tadros.
During the visit, DeBlasio spent time with the Syrian journalists, who discussed with him their most recent projects, as well as their ideas for Syria Direct as it continues to carry out its mission to train Syrian civilian journalists to tell their own story of the atrocities taking place in Syria.
Deblasio said, “There is no greater accomplishment than seeing the success Syria Direct has achieved. To date, this program has touched the lives of thousands — whether it be the nearly 200 Syrians who have graduated from our program, the 500+ published articles Syria Direct has produced, or the 100,000 readers who turn to them to deliver credible, timely, and valuable media coverage of Syria— there are countless ways to measure our success.”
DeBlasio and Tadros both expressed their commitment to the organisation as it begins a new phase of growth, institutional strengthening and building on the many achievements of the past 6 years.
DeBlasio is the Founder and Executive Director of the Global Peace and Development (GPD) Charitable Trust, which has committed over $15 million in charitable contributions to over 23 organizations globally, with the goal of promoting peace and democracy worldwide. GPD Charitable Trust has been a partner of Syria Direct since Syria Direct’s inception in 2013.
About Syria Direct
Founded in 2013, Syria Direct is a non-profit journalism organization that produces timely, credible coverage of Syria while training a small group of highly talented, aspiring Syrian and international journalists in professional news-gathering and accurate, in-depth reporting. Reporters cover key military developments and track the country’s shifting politics, province by province, to explain news as it unfolds, placing a particular focus on the individuals driving events on the ground. Syria Direct is committed to ensuring the highest journalistic standards for Syrians to report on their own country, to influence the wider news agenda and inculcate principles of independent, critical thinking with integrity in its reporters.