The regional branch of the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC) was launched in Amman on Tuesday, on the sidelines of the Community Media Networks Conference. The founding group of *AMARC MENA* consists of 12 media practitioners from seven countries: Jordan, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Palestine, Yemen, and Tunisia. They have drafted an initial charter, which was ratified by the founding members.
Journalist Daoud Kuttab, speaking on behalf of the founders, stated that the network is open to adding representatives from any country in the MENA region. He noted that seven months of discussion resulted in membership criteria requiring that individuals or entities working in independent and community media—whether via FM radio or the internet—may join, provided their work includes an audio and video component.
Kuttab continued: "We are pleased to announce the launch of AMARC MENA, the regional community media network covering the Middle East and North Africa, on May 12th. Following the mandate given to us during last November's meeting in Amman, we began outreach and held a number of online consultations, where we defined the scope of work and prepared a draft regulation approved by our members."
Currently, *AMARC MENA* comprises 12 community media practitioners from seven regional countries: Jordan, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Palestine, Yemen, and Tunisia. We are open to adding representatives from any MENA country.

"Our discussions focused on membership criteria; we decided to welcome anyone working in broadcast media, whether FM or online, as long as it includes an audio-visual broadcasting component. It was emphasized that any individual or media outlet joining AMARC MENA must be independent, community-based, and local. Due to local laws in most countries, the founding members decided it is not necessary to be non-profit; however, all founding members agreed on the importance of the media being independent of commercial or government control."
"We have set ambitious goals, including advocating for improved local legislation that supports and enables community media. We are also interested in using this forum for networking to enhance the skills of our colleagues, and seeking ways to bolster sustainability and capacity building. Furthermore, we will collaborate on producing and exchanging content in various formats on topics of common interest, including issues such as climate change, women's rights, and digital literacy."
The AMARC MENA network believes that community media is not just a means of transmitting news, but a space for building dialogue, protecting pluralism, and enhancing the presence of local communities in the media landscape. In a region that has suffered for years from wars, polarization, and marginalization, there is an increasing need for independent media that is close to the people—media capable of conveying their stories and daily concerns, and bringing the voices of groups that often remain outside traditional media coverage.
The network also views the cultural, linguistic, and social diversity in the region as a source of richness that must be reflected in the media through content that respects local specificities and promotes values of dialogue, understanding, and freedom of expression.
The consultations resulted in the approval of new bylaws, and members voted to form a three-member coordination committee to follow up on decisions and develop a detailed strategy and action plan. Additionally, participants welcomed the offer made by the new Director General of the Community Media Network (CMN), Etaf Roudan, to host AMARC MENA at its Jordanian offices and utilize available administrative and financial resources to support this new regional network.
"We appreciate the support provided to us by the Jordanian Ministry of Government Communications and extend our hands to all regional governments to engage with us as we work together to lay the foundation for a successful regional consortium of community media activists."
It was decided that follow-up matters, expanding the participant base, and seeking project funding would be handled by a tripartite committee consisting of: *Daoud Kuttab, Siruan Hadj Berko, and Neziha Ben Mohamed.*

 Signatories:
Etaf Roudan* – Community Media Network – Amman, Jordan
Daoud Kuttab* – Radio al-Balad – Amman, Jordan
Ahmed Samih* – Horytna Radio – Egypt
Neziha Ben Mohamed* – Radio Tunis 6 – Tunisia
Samir al-Azzawi* – Dar Al-Salam Radio – Baghdad, Iraq
Maysoun Odeh* – Radio Nisaa FM – Ramallah, Palestine
Bashir al-Dhar'i* – Community Media Activist – Yemen
Serwan Hadj Berko* – Arta FM – Syria
Asaad Othman* – Iraqi Kurdistan
Ranjin Salam* – Iraq
Salam Malik* – Tunisia
Lujain Haj Youssef* – Rozana Media – Syria