Daniel Pearl Foundation
Daniel Pearl, 2004
In 2002, the Alfred Friendly Press Partners and the Daniel Pearl Foundation established a fellowship in the memory of The Wall Street Journal journalist Daniel Pearl who was kidnapped and murdered in Pakistan. The fellowship is aimed at promoting press freedom and fostering East-West understanding. The fellowship is underwritten by the Daniel Pearl Foundation and administered by the Alfred Friendly Press Partners. The Daniel Pearl Fellowship focuses on journalists who exemplify the spirit and professionalism of its namesake, a foreign correspondent noted for his open-minded coverage of the Muslim world and gift for portraying the human side of complex international problems.
Daniel Pearl Fellows – nine from Pakistan, five from Egypt and one each from Tunisia, Afghanistan, Malaysia, Nepal, Turkey, Bangladesh and Yemen – have worked at The Berkshire Eagle/North Adams Transcript, Houston Chronicle, Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, ProPublica, San Francisco Chronicle and the Atlanta, New York and Washington, DC bureaus of The Wall Street Journal.
“The fellowship is an example of what Danny stood for, bridging cultures and fostering journalistic excellence. I believe he would be very proud of this program.” — Judea Pearl, president of the Daniel Pearl Foundation and father of the slain Wall Street Journal bureau chief.
The paradox overshadowing Pearl’s death was that his killers, Islamic militants angry with the West, murdered a reporter who was particularly sensitive to their views and grievances and committed to explaining them to his readers. Daniel Pearl wrote objectively and often about the hardships and aspirations of people in Islamic countries, most notably Dubai, Iran, Kosovo, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Yemen. This fellowship focuses on connecting journalists from Muslim countries with their American counterparts.
The Daniel Pearl Foundation, founded by his family, is continuing his life mission to encourage dialogue among people of different cultures, to reduce cultural and religious hatred and create a platform for responsible and creative journalism. As a bridge connecting American and foreign journalists in shared professional ventures, the Alfred Friendly Press Partners, strengthened by the Daniel Pearl Fellowship, advances that urgent and demanding mission.
Daniel Pearl Fellows Include:
Mr. Fasih Ahmed, 2003, Pakistan, Wall Street Journal (DC bureau)
Ms. Ammara Durrani, 2005, Pakistan, Los Angeles Times
Mr. Walid Al Saqaf, 2005, Yemen, Wall Street Journal (DC bureau)
Mr. Ghanashyam Ojha “Ojha”, 2006, Nepal, Berkshire Eagle/North Adams Transcript
Mr. Shahid Shah, 2006, Pakistan, Wall Street Journal (DC bureau)
Mr. Amr Emam, 2007, Egypt, San Francisco Chronicle
Mr. Umar Cheema, 2008, Pakistan, The New York Times
Mr. Utku Cakirozer, 2008, Turkey, Los Angeles Times
Mr. Shahzada Irfan Ahmed, 2009, Pakistan, Houston Chronicle
Ms. Sherine El Madany, 2009, Egypt, Los Angeles Times
Mr. Nasy Ahmed Esmat, 2010, Egypt, ProPublica
Mr. Aoun Sahi, 2010, Pakistan, Wall Street Journal (Atlanta bureau)
Ms. Aatekah Ahmad Mir, 2011, Pakistan, Wall Street Journal (HQ)
Mr. Emal Haidary, 2011, Afghanistan, Los Angeles Times
Mr. Adnan Rashid, 2012, Pakistan, Berkshire Eagle and WAMC/Northeast Public Radio
Ms. Aida Ahmad, 2012, Malaysia, Los Angeles Times
Mr. Khalid Khattak, 2013, Pakistan, Wall Street Journal (DC bureau)
Mr. Emran Hossain, 2013, Bangladesh, The Huffington Post (DC bureau)
Ms. Kiran Nazish, 2014, Pakistan, The New York Times
Ms. Asma Ghribi, 2014, Tunisia, The Wall Street Journal (HQ)
Mr. Sherif Tarek, 2014, Egypt, Los Angeles Times
Visit the Daniel Pearl Foundation for more information.