Tuesday February 9th, 8-9.30pm
Humanity House, The Hague
Debate about the media war in Syria
The war in Syria is the first socially mediated war. More than ever before, rapportage about and communication during this conflict are happening via online platforms. How do social media function in an authoritarian regime? How does Syrian photographer Issa Touma use art and social media to fight against the barbarism that overtook his country? How do foreign journalists sift through the myriad Syrian voices of the regime, militants, IS, peace-activists, civilians, etc? What is a reliable source of information? What is the mechanism behind the newsmaking in the main-stream European media? These and other issues will be discussed with Issa Touma, media-experts, journalists and the audience.
Programme
Screening of the short film 9 Days – From My Window in Aleppo Interview with photographer Issa Touma

Discussion with researcher Ivonne Louw-Dekker and journalists Huib de Zeeuw and Ferry Biedermann on the role of social media in the Syrian war and their influence on mainstream journalism.

The evening is moderated by Esseline van de Sande

9 Days – From My Window in Aleppo was shot by Issa Touma in August 2012 and edited and directed by Floor van der Meulen and Thomas Vroege. The film is currently touring major European filmfestivals. It was recently screened at IFFR, DOK Leipzig and Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur.

Esseline van de Sande is one of the founders of The Great Middle East Platform. She is an essayist and consultant with great knowledge of the Middle East. Van de Sande writes for De Correspondent, NRC and Joop.nl. She used to work as correspondent for VPRO Radio from Damascus.

Ivonne Louw-Dekker completed her PhD at the University of Tilburg with The coverage of the 2003 Iraq War by online newspapers during the period 2003-2006 in 2015.

Huib de Zeeuw is an editor at nrc.nl and guest reporter on the Middle East at De Correspondent.

Ferry Biedermann is a former Middle East correspondent for the Financial Times. He is currently working as Middle East analyst for IHS Jane’s.

Please keep an eye on the website of Paradox and/or Humanity House for updates on invited guests.

Save the date: February 9th, 8.00 p.m.
Join us for the discussion on Tuesday February 9th at Humanity House, Prinsegracht 8, in The Hague.
The foyer will be open from 7.30 p.m. The event will start at 8.00 p.m. and will last 1.5 hours.

Entrance is €6,50/€3,50 with discount. Order your tickets on Humanity House