Date: 18/12/2025
5–6 December 2025
Amman – Jordan

As part of ARIJ’s 18th Annual Forum held in Amman, Jordan (5–7 December 2025), ARIJ organized a two-day specialized bootcamp titled “From Verification to Innovation: Fact-Checking & Advanced AI” under the I Will Not Stay Silent (IWNSS) project and in collaboration with Secdev Foundation. The workshop aimed to equip female journalists with practical skills to detect and debunk digital misinformation, strengthen verification workflows, and use AI tools responsibly through ethical and risk-aware practices.

The workshop was delivered by Fact Checking Specialist Menna Abd Elrazk, who led the first day on advanced fact-checking (visual manipulation, verification tools, and advanced social media search), and well-known Investigative reporter & coach Hanene Zbiss, who led the second day on generative AI fundamentals, newsroom use cases, and ethics, safety, and limitations. The training combined demonstrations with hands-on practice and regional case studies, and concluded with practical group exercises and a wrap-up discussion.

The workshop brought together 12 participants from Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq. The overall satisfaction score reached 94.1%.

Participant Quotes

Sohad Elkhodary – Egypt:
“This was an excellent training that empowers female journalists to use AI tools in ways that strengthen our ability to produce accurate journalism—capable of confronting disinformation campaigns, tracking digital violence, and approaching these issues through an investigative lens.”

Amal Breika – From Gaza, Palestine; resident in Jordan:
“I gained strong, practical knowledge of fact-checking tools that I can use while preparing any journalistic content. I also learned more about the history and stages of AI development, and how to approach it as a supportive tool that helps journalists research, verify information, and generate new ideas.”

Tamara Emad – Iraq:
“We should use AI with transparency, caution, and careful verification to produce journalism with high professional value. After this training, I feel more confident using AI.”

Nour Mahmoud – Egypt:
“It was a rich experience that added a lot to my knowledge. I feel I can apply what I learned in practice easily.”