160: Dr. Caroline Faraj - Enabling Change Through Storytelling: A Conversation with Dr. Caroline Faraj, CNN Arabic

Our guest on this episode is Dr Caroline Faraj, CNN VP and CNN
Arabic Editor-in-Chief. Caroline is an award-winning journalist
who was named Arab Woman of the Year in Media for 2022 and
received the Arab Woman Awards in 2021. She holds an Honorary
Doctorate from City, University of London, recognizing her
outstanding leadership and dedication to advancing opportunities
for women and young people in the Arab world. Additionally, she
was honored with the Distinguished Jordanian Medal by King
Abdullah II. In 2002, Caroline launched CNN Arabic and has since
guided it through numerous major regional events. A staunch
advocate for women's empowerment, she mentors individuals at CNN
and throughout the industry, always staying true to her
journalistic roots.

"My grandfather used to tell me that whenever I asked him a
question, he would tell me a story.  And when he was done,
he would say, 'What did you understand from that story? My
grandparents played a crucial role in planting the seed of
storytelling in my character, in my life, in my career, which
actually became my everything. I was raised by two grandparents,
and two of them from different cultures, but both of them
indirectly planted the seed of storytelling.


 


Storytelling is a powerful tool, transcending barriers to
communicate messages and promote learning. It captures
imagination, makes abstract concepts tangible, and lessons
memorable through engaging narratives and relatable characters.
Linking complex ideas to real-life experiences, it improves
understanding and retention by contextualizing information within
familiar scenarios. Storytelling's ability to evoke emotion,
build connections, and inspire action makes it a powerful
communication method both in the analog and digital world. In
this fascinating conversation, Caroline shares her journey from
being the first woman to study journalism at her university to
becoming a powerful storyteller, offering insights into
journalism's future, digital skills, and the importance of
empowering the younger generation.


 


From the value of patience in finding the right platform for your
story, via the importance of focusing on the truth, to the
necessity of enabling rather than empowering—since people already
possess power and just need enablement to use it wisely—one thing
is certain: it is each individual's responsibility to make small
changes to create a better future. This is how remarkable change
happens.


 


By the way, who turned the word "impossible" into "I am possible"
and how do you go from playing a beautiful bird on children's TV
to being a key reporter at the palace, launching CNN in Dubai in
just 16 days and becoming the Arab Woman of the Year in Media? -
tune in!