As access for professional journalists has decreased in combat zones, coupled with the fact that a large number of professional journalists have been killed or imprisoned, citizen journalists have stepped up. Today, social media influencers are emerging as the primary news sources for young people, surpassing journalists.

However, citizen journalists have zero professional safety or the kind of survival training that professional journalists get.

AnNahar has had a long and rich history of advocating for press freedom and championing significant causes. As an established newspaper from the most volatile region in the world, we found ourselves becoming experts on the protection of journalists over the years. Tragically, our own editor-in-chief Gebran Tueni was assassinated in 2005.

Our brief was to was to leverage our expertise with the objective of safeguarding citizen journalists.

On January 23, 2024, for the first time in its 90 year history, AnNahar Newspaper launched an entire daily edition printed in the form of a foldable, survival guide for citizen journalists, designed to be portable and accessible to them in the field.

Illustrated with detailed instructions on surviving what in our experience are the most dangerous threats on the field, the edition was also an invitation to a masterclass on safety techniques, held at AnNahar headquarters in Beirut and live-streamed to the world.

Ultimately, the edition in its poignant commentary became a petition to be mailed to the UN Secretary General's office to push for better legal protection of reporters - professional and civilian - in conflict zones.

Our strategy was to leverage our expertise to make safety in reporting accessible to all citizen, as well as to leverage our vast network to create a free and live-streamed masterclass and deliver it to as many citizen journalists.

Our strategy was also to use our own newspaper to push for tangible legal action; urging individuals, organizations, and governments to come together to adopt an internationally binding convention to protect the safety and independence of all journalists - professional and civilian, which was sent to the UN Secretary General’s office.

We transformed our newspaper into an accessible, foldable safety manual format, incorporating clear illustrations to promote easier understanding. Through extensive research, we curated the most critical information tailored to citizen journalists in conflict zones, ensuring that the guidebook included practical and actionable tips. The illustration style was inspired by classic Lebanese newsprint drawings.

We also conducted thorough research to draft a compelling petition advocating for protective legislation, and finally, we organized an online crash course within the AnNahar building, temporarily transforming the space into a free journalism and safety university.

We made sure to carefully select expert speakers to share valuable insights and guidance with aspiring and citizen journalists.

The printed edition itself culminated in a petition to the United Nations to enforce better legislation that would protect all reporters – citizen and professional - on the field in conflict zones.

The print edition sold out quickly, and became one of AnNahar's most popular ones, turning quickly into a collector's edition.

The campaign garnered widespread attention on Twitter, rapidly becoming a viral sensation, and earning our message $12 million worth of media impressions.

The masterclass held at AnNahar's headquarters saw an attendance of journalists from 28 different countries, taking the message globally.

The online PDF of the edition was downloaded several hundred times across the world.

The accompanying petition calling for legislation to protect journalists in conflict zones brought significant support, with thousands of readers and journalists signing it. AnNahar's edition, transformed into a survival guide, was widely shared not only among high-level journalists and reporters but also amongst the general public.