Thomson Reuters Foundation's Jo Weir and Nadia El-Gowely addressing guests at the book launch

In a festive mood, Thomson Reuters Foundation launched its “Ethics Handbook for Journalists” in English and Arabic at the Grand Hayatt in Cairo on June 16. The gala event, at the Nile-side hotel, received wide media coverage and was attended by scores of top Egyptian journalists and figures representing Arab media organisations who acclaimed the book as a much-needed tool in today’s world of journalism.

Thomson Reuters Foundation produced the handbook using a legacy from journalist Mona Megalli who died from cancer in February 2007. Born and raised in Egypt, Mona moved to the United States in her mid-teens and later became a reporter covering events around the world for more than 20 years. She was committed to the principles of free and fair journalism and, when she learned that illness would cut her life short, she made provision for a fund to promote journalism ethics, focused on the region of her birth.

It was a happy coincidence that the reception was held on the same Nile island on which Mona was born. Her brother Murad flew to Cairo to attend the launch. Handbook author, Paul Holmes, Reuters Global Editor for Political and General News 2002-2007 and an Ethics Fellow of the Poynter Institute for Journalism Studies, took part in the reception and gave a speech in which he described the handbook as a guide on complex ethical issues rather than a book of answers to all challenges.

Dr. Gaber Asfour, head of Egypt’s National Centre for Translation said in a speech he hoped the handbook would open a debate on ethics in general in Egypt not just on journalism. The handbook was arabised by Reuters Arabic service journalist Nadia El-Gowely who is also the foundation’s representative in the Arab world. Nadia, who organised the event and was instrumental in the wide media coverage it received, added some ethical issues that are more relevant to Arab culture.

The handbook will be made widely available and will be an additional resource used by Thomson Reuters Foundation in its training programmes. 

The handbook costs £5.00 (plus £2.00 for postage and packing) and is available to buy from Thomson Reuters Foundation.Should you be interested in ordering a copy please email foundation@reuters.com 

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