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About us

The Washington Association of Arab Journalists (WAAJ) was founded in February 2000. It is a non-profit organization, with no ties with any government.
According to its bylaws, the Association, which has more than 40 members, active and associate, seeks to further the professional relationships of the members and provide a forum for them to network and build bridges with other professionals and news organizations in the United States.

History:
Mohammed Wahby, a former correspondent for the Egyptian weekly al-Musawar in Washington, was the Association?s first president, serving in that position for two years. He was followed by Mohammed Hakki, a contributing columnist for Al-Ahram Weekly. George S. Hishmeh, a columnist for Gulf News (Dubai) and The Jordan Times (Amman) was elected president for the next three years. At present, the president is Mohamed el-Setouhi of Nile News channel, Egypt Television.

Speakers:

Among the speakers at WAAJ events were Indiana?s Senator Richard G. Lugar, who then was the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; former National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski, Assistant Secretary of State for Near East policy David Welch, Author and philosopher Francis Fukuyama, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendaye Frasier, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abu El-Geith, Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa, Saudi Arabian Ambassador Turki al-Faisal, Egyptian Ambassador Nabil Fahmy, Arab League Ambassador Hussein Hassouna, and others.
Several American journalists appeared at WAAJ forums including Anthony Shadid, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for his coverage of the war in Iraq.