Princess Rym Ali

Her Royal Highness Princess Rym Ali is a former international journalist, educator, and institution-builder whose career has included work with major global news organizations and coverage of significant world events. Princess Rym holds a Bachelor of Arts in geography and a Master of Arts in English literature from Sorbonne University in Paris, a Master of Philosophy in political science from Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris, and a master's degree from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, with a concentration in international reporting.

Prior to her royal life, Princess Rym worked for international broadcasters including CNN, where she began as a producer and later served as a Baghdad correspondent. She also contributed to BBC, Dubai TV, Bloomberg TV, Radio Monte-Carlo Moyen-Orient, and United Press International. Her reporting at CNN, particularly in Baghdad, shaped her perspective on the journalist's responsibility to report truthfully and ethically.

Princess Rym founded the Jordan Media Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to establishing an Arab center of excellence for journalism education, featuring a master's program and specialized training modules. Her goal was to create an institution recognized globally while remaining rooted in local needs and cultural context, setting a new standard for journalism education in the Arab world. Under her leadership, the institute has educated more than 600 journalists from Jordan and internationally. Its graduates hold key roles in media outlets across Jordan, Palestine, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and other countries. The institute has adapted to the digital era by incorporating courses on artificial intelligence and data journalism into its curriculum.

A strong advocate for media literacy, Princess Rym has contributed to Jordan's emergence as a regional leader in this field. The Jordan Media Institute developed the National Agency for Media Literacy, which has been adopted by the Jordanian government and integrated into the national school curriculum. The institute's projects address issues such as human rights, gender equality, and combating hate speech, including through its fact-checking website, Akeed.jo. Princess Rym has spoken about the importance of media literacy, drawing on her experience as a war correspondent and the challenges of misinformation.

Princess Rym's work in journalism and media has been recognized with numerous international honors. She received an Alumni Award from Columbia University School of Journalism, the Best International Journalist prize at the Ischia International Journalism Awards Ceremony in Italy, and the French Knight of the Legion of Honor decoration. The Global Thinkers Forum awarded her the Excellence in Media Award, and she received a Ph.D. honoris causa from Coventry University in England for her contributions to journalism and media and as founder of the Jordan Media Institute. America Abroad Media also honored her at the Power of Film Awards in Washington, D.C., recognizing her leadership in media's role to inform, educate, and empower.

Beyond journalism education, Princess Rym is active in Jordan's cultural sector. She has served as a member of the Board of Commissioners of the Royal Film Commission – Jordan and as president of the Amman International Film Festival AIFF Awal Film. Through her work at the Royal Film Commission, she has supported the development of young filmmakers and scriptwriters in Jordan. The Anna Lindh Foundation, which promotes intercultural dialogue in the Euro-Mediterranean region, appointed Princess Rym as president, reinforcing her influence in media, democracy, and cross-cultural understanding in the Arab world.