Writing Workshop
Empowering Liberalism: The Foundation Unleashes the Power of Words
The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Regional Office organized a three-day workshop titled "How to Write Good Articles for FNF’s Website." Communication officers and content staff from Jordan, Lebanon, and Egypt participated in the workshop. The main objectives included understanding the strategic dimensions of writing articles, discussing the content production workflow, and identifying areas for optimization. Ronald Meinardus moderated the workshop, which was held from June 24 to 27, 2024, in Amman.
Meinardus provides an overview of the opportunities and challenges facing digital writing tools
Mastering the Essentials: Crafting Compelling Content at FNF MENA
On the first day, the participants discussed the lead, the general rules for writing good copy, the main challenges, and the various editorial formats. Meinardus said, "The lead is a prerequisite for a catchy article." The participants engaged in three writing exercises on news reports and concept notes for a good article, followed by presentations and feedback. Peter Amen from FNF Cairo said, "The workshop clearly addresses work tasks."
Digital Tools and Strategic Insights
The second day began with the FNF MENA Regional Director Joerg Dehnert’s presentation on “The strategic pillars of the FNF’s work in the MENA region and the impact on how we communicate externally.”
Dehnert discussed the competition among regions within FNF and emphasized the need to strengthen our networks with journalists and media institutions both nationally and regionally. He suggested that FNF projects in the MENA region should produce more regional and national analytical reports and articles for the main FNF website. These should cover topics like migration, security, and market economy, which are of interest to the German audience.
Dehnert presents the strategic pillars of FNF's work in the MENA region
Dehnert said, “FNF is shifting towards functioning as a modern think tank.”
The sessions on the second day featured an overview and discussion of various digital writing instruments, a working group dedicated to exploring selected digital writing tools, and an exercise on the three-step technique for refining language and professionally producing articles.
Final Article Drafting and Content Governance
On the third day, the participants drafted final articles for the websites of the FNF offices in the MENA region. Following this, the participants discussed workflows and content governance, reaching agreements on key points. At the end of the workshop, participants presented summaries of their main takeaways and provided feedback.