Qatar's Al-Jazeera Network Provides Media Training For Officials Of New Syrian Government, Syrian Journalists, And Syrian Communications Students

Since the fall of the Bashar Al-Assad regime in Syria in December 2024, and the establishment of the new government led by Ahmed Al-Sharaa, Qatar's involvement in shaping the new Syria has been conspicuous. Alongside highly publicized state visits by Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Aal Thani and other senior Qatari officials in Syria, meetings between senior officials of the two countries, and Qatari assistance in infrastructure projects and in Syria's reconstruction, Qatar has also been operating in Syria through its media outlets, particularly the Al-Jazeera Network, which is known for supporting and encouraging Islamist terrorism worldwide.[1]

Since the establishment of the new Syrian regime, the Al-Jazeera Media Institute has been providing media training to the new Syrian ministries, including the foreign affairs and information ministries. It has also held courses and seminars for Syrian journalists and students, with the participation of senior Al-Jazeera media figures. Prominent among them was the Syrian-born veteran journalist Faisal Al-Qassem, host of the channel's flagship show "The Opposite Direction," who was known as an opponent of the Assad regime. After the overthrow of that  regime, Al-Qassam arrived in Syria for a highly publicized celebratory visit, and met with Al-Sharaa.  

To view a clip about his visit on MEMRI TV, click here or below:

This report presents examples of Al-Jazeera's involvement in Syria since the fall of the Assad regime.

Al-Jazeera Provides Media Training And Guidance To The New Syrian Administration

Al-Jazeera has been actively involved in providing media training and guidance to the ministries of Syria's new government. For example, on January 15, 2025 the Diplomatic Institute at the Syrian Foreign Ministry and the Al-Jazeera Media Institute held a joint seminar on "media relations," attended by Syrian government officials and staff and hosted by senior Al-Jazeera TV presenter Faisal Al-Qassem.[2]

Faisal Al-Qassem speaks at a seminar of the Syrian Foreign Ministry's Diplomatic Institute (Source: Facebook.com/ajminitiatives, January 15, 2025)

The Syrian Information Ministry reported on February 7 that the Al-Jazeera Media Institute was holding a series of courses on media, journalism and outreach in collaboration with the ministry's Syrian Academy in order to train media professionals.[3]

One of the Al-Jazeera Media Institute's courses (Image: T.me/moi_sy, February 7, 2025)

On January 9, the Al-Jazeera Media Institute held an open session with journalists at the Damascus Sheraton Hotel to present its initiatives and courses and "familiarize itself with the journalists' needs and priorities at this time."  The session was attended by the institute's director of media initiatives, Muntasir Mar'i, veteran Al-Jazeera host Khadija Benguenna and Al-Jazeera correspondent in Syria Adham Abu Al-Hossam.[4]

Invitation to the Al-Jazeera Media Institute's open session with journalists in Damascus (Image: Instagram.com/ajminitiatives, January 7, 2025)

Damascus University's Faculty of Mass Communication also held a seminar that day in collaboration with the Al-Jazeera Media Institute, on "the challenges and the ways to develop the Syrian media scene," attended by the faculty's teachers and students.  In his talk at the seminar, the institute's director of media initiatives, Muntasir Mar'i, proposed cooperation between the institute and the faculty and holding courses for faculty students and graduates to improve their practical media skills.[5]

Seminar at Damascus University's Faculty of Mass Communication, in cooperation with the Al-Jazeera Media Institute (Image: Sana.sy, January 9, 2025)

The Al-Jazeera Media Institute has also launched free courses across Syria as part of its Al-Jazeera Ambassadors program for empowering media talent across the world.[6]

Course in Aleppo, taught by Syrian Al-Jazeera journalist Amar Al-Sayyed (Image:  X.com/AJMInitiatives, February 2, 2025)

Senior Al-Jazeera TV Host Visits Syria, Meets With New Syrian Leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa

As stated, senior Al-Jazeera host Faisal Al-Qassem spoke to senior and other Syrian government officials as part of a seminar held by the Syrian Foreign Ministry and the Al-Jazeera Media Institute.[7] Al-Qassem, who is of Syrian origin and was known for his vehement opposition to the Assad regime, arrived in Syria in January 2025 following the fall of that regime. During his visit, he spoke with the country's new leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa in the Presidential Palace in Damascus,[8] visited the city of his birth, Suwayda, where he was warmly welcomed,[9] and filmed an episode of the flagship Al-Jazeera program that he hosts, "The Opposite Direction," in Damascus.[10] 

Al-Qassem warmly welcomed to his hometown in Syria, and with Syrian President Al-Sharaa (Image: Kayan24.com, January 15, 2025)