Damascus, March 25 (SANA) A specialized training workshop titled “Empowering Young Journalists to Combat Media Disinformation” was organized at the Faculty of Media at Damascus University, in partnership with the European Union Mission to Syria and the Verify-Sy platform.
The three-day workshop, which began on Tuesday, targets fourth-year students, aiming to strengthen their fact-checking skills and readiness for the job market through practical tools, digital content analysis and hands-on exercises.
Dr. Khaled Zaarour, dean of the faculty, said the initiative responds to students’ growing need for verification skills amid the spread of inaccurate information, stressing that critical thinking and source evaluation are key to media awareness.
The EU Mission’s chargé d’affaires, Michael Ohnmacht, said misleading information is often rooted in partial truths presented out of context, making it especially dangerous in the age of social media. He emphasized the EU’s support for initiatives that promote access to reliable information and empower youth.
Participants said the workshop enhanced their ability to critically assess information and deal with rumors.
The Verify-Sy platform, an independent non-profit founded in 2016 and licensed in Syria in 2026, focuses on fact-checking and media analysis and has conducted multiple training programs for journalists and students.