Lina Chawaf

CEO, Radio Rozana (Syria)
Nieman Fellow, Harvard University

Lina Chawaf is a Syrian journalist and CEO of Radio Rozana, an independent Syrian media network that broadcasts from France. Chawaf, who lives and works in exile, produces programming that focuses on Syrian affairs, women rights, social taboos and gender stereotypes. She has trained citizen journalists to become independent reporters inside Syria and has hired them for their coverage.

She previously served as president of Community Media Forum Europe (CMFE), was founder and program manager for Arabesque Radio in Syria and worked as a television director and editor for a Syrian production company.

After the Arab Spring protests and a crackdown on dissent in Syria, Lina moved abroad, first to Canada and then France. As a media consultant for International Media Support (IMS), she helped launch a series of independent radio stations in several countries affected by the Arab revolutions, including Libya and Yemen. She was named as the voice of a free Syria by Canal France International and she won the Press Freedom Award from Reporters Without Borders.

Since 2011, Lina has been at the forefront of covering the Syrian case, both from exile and on the ground, showcasing extraordinary courage and resilience in her reporting. Through her work with Rozana Radio, she has consistently amplified the voices of Syrians, bringing their stories to the global stage.

Beyond Rozana, Lina has contributed to keeping the Syrian case alive in international media, with her recent writings featured in esteemed publications such as The Globe and Mail, The Boston Globe, The Washington Post, and Nieman Reports.