At the Samir Kassir Foundation, we defend freedom of expression, particularly press and cultural freedoms. This includes journalists, videographers, artists, and playwrights. However, the real beneficiary is society itself. Access to reliable and independent information is essential to informed citizenship. Supporting free expression is how we build better democracies.

We are proud of being agile. When Beirut’s port exploded, we provided urgent support to displaced media workers, replacing their equipment and finding them housing. When independent journalists were targeted by smear campaigns, we tracked and exposed coordinated disinformation networks behind them. We developed predictive tools to detect attacks early. Globally, we brought Arab perspectives into discussions around AI and freedom of information. Most notably, we established the only regional safe-hosting program for Arab journalists fleeing authoritarian repression – a response that bureaucratic humanitarian visa systems failed to provide.

Since the Arab Spring, civic space has been shrinking. We respond through three pillars: First, we focus on safety by providing physical protection, digital training, and emergency support. Second, we support editorial independence, especially in media systems co-opted by political and financial power. Third, we invest in research so that our work is evidence-based, not donor-trend driven. We prepare for crises before they hit, and our approach is always grounded in values, not opportunism.

We have been relatively lucky; there have been no death threats. However, pressure comes in different forms. Staff have been questioned by security services. More insidiously, coordinated smear campaigns have tried to tarnish our reputation, suggesting hidden agendas. We respond with transparency and data. For example, when banking-sector proxies launched attacks against reformist media, we exposed their fake accounts and tactics. Our team is vigilant. That is why we named our monitoring unit “Samir Kassir Eyes”. Watching is protecting.

Vision, people, and political clarity. Giselle Khoury, who co-founded SKF after Samir Kassir’s assassination, never allowed the Foundation to become a memorial. She built a forward-looking team of professionals, not relatives. That spirit of mission continues. We do not follow donor whims; we analyze regional priorities and design responses that matter locally. We also reject the idea that the private sector means corruption. In Lebanon, SMEs and ethical entrepreneurs are often the real liberals, fighting oligarchs and supporting reform. We work with them to create sustainable media models. This alliance-building is part of our resilience.

No. The problem is not just funding levels; it is how funding works. Project-based micro grants, 12-page log frames for 12,000 Euros, and box-ticking exercises are a waste of everyone’s time. What we need is trust-based core support, shaped by mature conversations. We understand both our societies and yours, and we are ready to work transparently and responsibly, if we are treated as equal partners.