• “Advanced Training Skills for AFCN Fact Lab Trainers”

As part of “AFCNFactLab” project supported by the Google News Initiative, 18 trainers conducted workshops in their respective countries in 2024, reaching over 3,600 trainees, including journalists, university students, among others interested in fact-checking  from various organisations. This 3 day workshop is held to equip these trainers with advanced training techniques and skills. The workshop will be led by Ahmed Obeida, a journalist from DW, preparing the trainers for a new phase of training experiences in different countries soon.

• “Pre-Publication Fact-Checking Training in Media Organizations: Challenges and Opportunities”

This workshop features a discussion between media organizations that have implemented or are interested in implementing pre-publication fact-checking, and freelance fact-checkers. Scheduled for December 8, 2024, and as part of “SA7” project by the Arab Fact-Checkers Network (AFCN), and supported by the French Media Development Agency (CFI).

The discussion will be moderated by Dr. Arwa Kooli, a journalist specializing in fact-checking and data journalism, and Fatima Bani Ahmad, a fact-checker in the AFCN team. The workshop will focus on addressing the challenges of integrating pre-publication fact-checking into the editorial workflows of Arab media organizations.

• “Fact-Checking Training: Planning and Strategic Development”

Supported by the Norwegian Foundation for Investigative Journalism (SKUP), AFCN is organizing an in-person training from December 6 to 8, 2024. This workshop is targeting 20 fact-checkers from 10 Arab countries and 18 fact-checking organisations/initiatives.”

The three-day training will focus on developing methodologies for fact-checking organisations, strategies for analyzing disinformation campaigns, and improving materials for use by international courts in cases of human rights violations and wars. The experts who will lead the training are Arwa Kooli, Anass Bendrif, Ihsan Adel, and Raji Abdul Salam.

• Trust and Tech: Can AI Uphold Journalistic Standards?

Three quick presentations will explore the intersection of artificial intelligence and journalism, examining whether AI tools can support journalistic ethics, maintain credibility, and enhance the integrity of journalistic work in an era of rapid technological advancement.

One of the presentations, titled “Faster and Smarter: How Full Fact Arabic Tools Transformed Fact-Checking?” will take place on December 6 at 10:00 AM Amman time. It highlights the experience of AFCN in localizing/Arabizing Full Fact’s AI tools and how these tools have boosted its community work. The lightning talk will feature Kate Wilkinson from Full Fact and Fatima Bani Ahmad from AFCN’s team.

• Manipulated News, Threatened Democracies: Disinformation in Election Times

This session reveals the impact of disinformation on democracy through real-world examples presented by fact-checking experts, shedding light on fragile truths and the battle to build trust.

Supported by Meta, the session will take place on Friday, December 6, 2024, at 5:00 PM Amman time. Speakers include Glenn Kessler, editor and chief writer of the Fact Checker since 2011; Angie Holan, Director of the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN); Chris Morris, Executive Director of Full Fact; and Irene Khan, UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression. The session will be moderated by the journalist and media trainer Anass Bendrif.

• Victories and Vulnerabilities: The Landscape of Misinformation in the Arab World [AFCN Model]

Hear the successful stories from fact-checkers within the AFCN community  and the significant challenges they faced. The discussion  will shed light on valuable lessons learned, outline a path to strengthen fact-checking, combat disinformation, and restore clarity in the current information landscape.

This interactive session is moderated by the AFCN Manager, Saja Mortada, and will take place on Saturday, December 7, 2024, at 3:00 PM Amman time. Panelists include the fact-checkers: Ghassan Benchiheb from Morocco, Mohammad Mahrous from Yemen, Samia Allam from Egypt, Rana Salahat from Palestine, Yasmine Dakhli & Arwa Kooli from Tunisia, and Ahmed Gamal from Egypt.

• Real-World Implications of Disinformation

This session explores the broad implications of disinformation, with a focus on UNRWA (the United Nations Relief and Works Agency) as a real case example to illustrate how false narratives can jeopardize humanitarian efforts and compromise trust in essential services. The session will discuss disinformation counter-strategies across various regions, from Latin America, MENA region, Europe, and North America, to protect the truth in challenging contexts.

The session will take place on Sunday, December 8, at 3:15 PM Amman time. Speakers include Peter Cunliffe Jones, fact-checking expert; Noko Makgato, Executive Director of Africa Check; Lucia Gardel, Deputy Editor at “Chequeado“; Jonathan Fowler, Senior Communications Manager at UNRWA, and it will be moderated by Ferdi Özsoy, Deputy Director of the International Fact-Checking Network.

• In-Person Regional Meeting 2024

During the second day of the 17th ARIJ Forum in Jordan, the Arab Fact-Checkers Network will host over 60 fact-checkers from Arabic fact-checking platforms and freelance fact-checkers, along with a group of AFCN donors and international experts in fact-checking from the Global, African, and Latin American fact-checking networks. The event will be an opportunity to exchange experiences and ideas, showcasing the AFCN’s success stories throughout 2024 and its plans for the coming years to further strengthen the field of fact-checking in the Arab world.
To learn more about our previous Regional meetings, click here.

• Final Meeting of ‘Go Far, Go Together’ Project

At the final meeting of 2024 and the first in-person meeting for the “Go Far, Go Together” project on December 6, 2024, during the 17th ARIJ Forum, the six organizations of the project—Tahaqaq from Palestine, Tayqan from Palestine, TuniFact from Tunisia, Chayyek from Jordan, Sidq from Yemen, and Tahaqaq from Morocco—will meet with the project experts. They will review how they implemented their strategies in communication, safety, and business models in the first months following seven months of full support and guidance provided in 2024 within the project, which was funded by the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN).

• Arab Fact-Checkers Network Exhibition

Over the three days of the conference, you will have the opportunity to engage in-person with the AFCN team and a group of fact-checkers from the AFCN’s community at the AFCN interactive exhibition. Here’s what you can explore:

1. Our various projects and the most memorable moments and events from past years.
   
   
2. The Full Fact AI tools in Arabic—experience their functionality in fact-checking on live!
   
   
3. AFCN Chatbot for fact-checking information, where fact-checkers will guide you step-by-step on how to use it and contribute with us in combating mis/disinformation!
   
   
4. Your queries, our tools and resources, and much more awaits you at our exhibition!