Feridoon Aryan
Communication And Outreach Specialist
Hamburg,HH
Summary
2- Key competencies and experience I have bachelor’s in journalism, with in depth working experience of over 18 years in Journalism, communication, and outreach in Afghanistan. I have had the opportunity to be trained and work with international organizations media firms such as UPI, AAM, CNN, BBC, India Times, MICT and others. I have worked with USA’s national radio by providing radio reports on Afghanistan. Reliable interpreter through more than 10 years of working with prestigious companies such as FTIS Co and recently with FTIS LLC. 5-Key qualifications: Excellent theoretical and practical knowledge of media/journalism in Afghanistan Excellent practical experience in rural Afghanistan Excellent practical experience in report writing Expert/consultant practice know-how in developing journalism systems and conducting trainings and workshops for capacity building Excellent team worker, experienced leader Professional and reliable manager
Overview
23
23
years of professional experience
12
12
years of post-secondary education
Work History
journalist
Afghanistan
01.2014
- Germany Plural Media Free, Preparing communication strategies, Training materials and workshops for the media outlets in Afghanistan, translation, compilations, interpretation during the training sessions, audience reach and development of media content
Afghanistan
01.2013
- Pakistan/India/Tajikistan with NDTV (India), ARY Digital (Pakistan) and Tolo News Afghanistan Senior Journalist/Advisor Town halls on bilateral issues, between Afghanistan and its neighbors, including issues pertaining child labor, workshops for capacity building
MICT Consultant/Trainer Investigative Journalism workshop consultant
Kabul
01.2012
Group Project Manager
Kabul, Afghanistan Afghan Youth
01.2006
- Connecting youth and government, facilitating vital discussions for youth and decision makers, youth exchange programs
Public Relations Officer
Afghanistan UNHABITAT Media
01.2005
- Out-reach strategy, connecting with Community Development Centers (CDC’s) Youth Shuras, Weekly Newsletter
- Profiling success stories
Communication Officer
UNICEF
01.2017 - 01.2022
- Work and experience (past ten years), Write, maintain and update the UNICEF Afghanistan advocacy and communication strategy and associated work plan, including those of key communication and advocacy campaigns
- Appear on national media to advocate for child rights
- Take journalists for field visits
- Assist in nurturing and maintaining close partnerships with state media (print, broadcast and electronic), as well as with groups and organizations whose support is essential for achieving advocacy and communication objectives of the state programme
- Assist in drafting and editing articles, press releases, human interest stories and other advocacy/information materials for both electronic/web and print media, as appropriate
- Prepare background communication and advocacy materials for briefings and visits of UNICEF teams, media, celebrities, goodwill ambassadors, donors, national committee representatives and other special interest groups to the State, and co-ordinates the administrative aspects of such visits
- Establish/maintain an up-to-date documentation center for publications, press releases and clippings, as well as photographic and audio-visual materials.
Senior journalist/Editor
Afghanistan/Pakistan Stockholm International Water Institute
01.2015 - 01.2016
- Conceptualized and launched the water report for Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran
- As the communication/editor of the project in Asia, I had to plan each segment of the project, assign writers to do articles that included written, video, audio, illustration, photos stories on a range of issues involving water
- Later I had to rewrite these raw articles and polish them into professional copy
- Occasionally, on major issues and events I had to write my own stories for the project
- When the content for the project was done, I had to provide strategic inputs for page layouts and design
- Writing stories and other content for the MICT’s Afghanistan Today website
- Editing and developing content for the weekly e-news bulletin of the audience in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran, 'Week in Focus'
- Had to interact on a regular basis with senior government/political functionaries
- I have also undertaken reporting assignments in extremely difficult areas like Helmand, Kandahar, Khost, Jalalabad, / traveling to remote and potentially dangerous areas
- Apart from my regular work I had to interact with Afghan media as Spokesperson for the project
- I also provided translation of articles, proof reading of documents, rendering of interpretation in trainings and workshops, researcher and articles editor, and facilitator for Af/Pak cross border water security workshops
DAI Radio Programming Advisor
Afghanistan USAID
01.2015 - 01.2016
- Guiding, Planning, monitoring and implementation of radio programs for 6 grantees in Central and Eastern region of Afghanistan for eradicating poppy and helping bringing peace to communities through designing marketing materials and outreach methods for marketing
- Reports from field days, photographs from events for DAI website, reports, internal and external use
- Writing press releases and situation reports and other matter as per requirements
- Editing transcript of the weekly e-newsletter and any other matter
- Providing ideas and other inputs for posters, billboards, etc.… Brought a high level of professional expertise to the publications in terms of content/ design.
Communication Officer
Afghanistan/Germany MICT
01.2011 - 01.2015
- Managing the website of MICT, developing photo stories, writing articles, collecting feedbacks and writing reports, writing press releases, liaison with the Afghan communities to ensure the program motives are understood and the well of the people is reflected in the awareness packages devised by me, meeting with government institution relevant to the project to increase the programs visibility and maximize coordination
- Project’s implementation, surveys, website editor, writer, translator, workshops facilitator and organizer
Media Director of Programming
Afghanistan/USA
01.2010 - 01.2015
- As the Director of Communications and leading a team of 16 communications/media professionals, had to prepare a media and communications strategy aimed at enhancing the 'visibility' of State Department’s program in Afghanistan
- Developing communication strategy, compiling reports after audience research, survey and analysing the data for the US State Department, USAID and AAM as required by the donor and in line with the format and regulations of aforementioned entities, Devising and implementing project promotional packages that included radio programs, television documentaries, success stories, designing brochures and marketing pamphlets,
- Devising a communication strategy for continuous collaboration with the stakeholders, organizations relevant to the project, mass media, beneficiaries,
- Exhibit displays, multi-media packages, success stories, human interest stories, and its dissemination through a network of distributors like the Parliament of Afghanistan, Deputy Youth Ministry and others
- Projects handled include Women Entrepreneurs, Bond of Humanity, The Awakening, A step Forward, Roshani, on behalf of US Department of State, The National Endowment for Democracy, USAID and USIP.
Journalist/Filmmaker
Afghanistan Free
01.2009 - 01.2012
- Mili-Jirga Newspaper for the Afghan Parliament, radio soaps for ISAF Voice of Freedom radio, animation and clips for the Afghan children for awareness against violence, children rights to education, informative and educative packages for the ministries of women affairs, public health, ministry of mines and ministry of energy and water.
Strategic Communications Officer
Afghanistan Independent Directorate of Local Governance, IDLG
01.2009 - 01.2010
- Reporting to the Director on the District Delivery Program, writing the strategic Communication plan, and as communication officer, was responsible for all aspects from conceptualization and planning to final production for each of the communication materials
- Revamping the entire communication approach and plan, had to plan ahead of every issue, liaison with provincial communication officers
- Planning, designing and production of brochures
- Editing, designing and producing books relating to the governor’s achievements in provinces
- Writing speeches and presentations for the Director
- Handling Press Relations; drafting Press Releases and facilitating media coverage relating to seminars and other events conducted by the IDLG, working with CDCs, Youth Centers, Elders Councils etc.… on better communication mechanism
Chief-Editor/Senior Communication Officer
Afghanistan IRD
01.2007 - 01.2009
- Developing a strategic media and communication plan and an innovative external relations program highlighting the reconstruction process and the aims and objectives of IRD
- Providing inputs for the Afghanistan Communication plan
- Organizing meetings for the Chief of Mission with Parliamentarians, editors and other public personalities
- Interacting and exchanging information with GoA officials and managing and supporting all external relations activities
- MEDIA
- Established a network of influential media contacts and developed and presented relevant information for press coverage
- Responded quickly and positively to specific information requests from the media, briefing journalists or answering specific queries
- Organized interviews and press-meetings with the Chief of Mission or visiting officials from IRD Hqs
- Advised Chief of Mission on press reports which had implications on the work of the Mission
- Suggested story ideas to journalists, highlighting the reconstruction cause
- Organized press conferences/briefings for important seminars/conferences
- Arranged press visits to IRD operated projects provinces
- Drafted Press Releases/Fact sheets/backgrounders
- Wrote analytical articles for newspapers on the reconstruction drive in the country
- PUBLIC AWARENESS
- Conceptualized, drafted and edited various information material like brochures, information papers, seminar reports, etc
- Designing, producing and distributing various corporate publicity materials such as posters, calendars, greeting cards, diaries, etc
- Producing films/documentaries/TV programs and arranged for their broadcast
- Organized promotional campaigns in schools
- Made public speeches/presentations
- By the end of my three-year tenure the Communication department of IRD was working with 12 Afghan Ministries and 10 government departments
- Many of my 'products' continue to be used as the corporate communication material of the IRD office in Afghanistan
- Major achievements include producing 65 documentaries on the reconstruction drive in Afghanistan, and showed on Tolo tv, Shamshad tv, and National tv
- Conceptualized and produced a booklet on Children and family awareness of electricity polls, Health and hygiene for family.
International President
Afghanistan/Pakistan/India AIESEC
01.2006 - 01.2007
- Community development (volunteer) Organizing community related discussions, conferences for youth, team lead for AIESEC Afghanistan delegation in India and Pakistan
Education
B.A - Journalism
University of Kabul
01.2010 - 01.2014
A-level - undefined
Beacon House School System
01.2003 - 01.2006
O-level - undefined
Beacon House School System
01.1998 - 01.2003
Skills
5- Language skillsundefined
Accomplishments
- 2004 Afghanistan United Press International Project Manager Training Afghan girls and boys in journalism
- Project Implementation 2003 Afghanistan Afghan Youth Initiate Group Project Manager Youth Voice a project to help Afghan youth get involved in the rebuilding of Afghanistan 2002 Afghanistan Inkeshaf Consulting Journalist/Editor News articles, translations, editing 8- Membership of professional skills build Up:
- AISEC International
- Afghan Youth Initiative Group (AYIG)
- Community Support Films
- International Finance Corporation
- United Press International (UPI)
- Media in Cooperation and Transition (MICT gGmbH)
- America Abroad Media (AAM)
- International Media Support (IMS)
- World Have Your Say (BBC World)
- Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) 9- Specific experience in the region:
- Country Date
- Tajikistan Summer 2011
- Investigative Journalism/Photojournalism/interpretation and translation
- Afghanistan Autumn 2012
- Online Journalism for Afghan Women, one-week interpretation, proof reading
- Pakistan 2013
- Connecting World Media/ Documentary making Liaison and interpreter for expatriates
- India, Pakistan, Afghanistan 2014
- Trilateral Town Halls including role of women in the development of the country, Rendering interpretation services 10-Appreciations 1
- Certificate of Appreciation from Ministry of Defence, Afghanistan 2
- Certificate of Appreciation from Ministry of Information and Culture 3
- Certificate of Appreciation from the National Assembly of Afghanistan 4
- Certificate of Appreciation from the World Press Agencies 5
- Certificates from World Peace Federation as Ambassador of Peace 6
- Certified by World Essay Competition 2007/2008 7
- Winner of 9 Gold Medals in Inter College athletics competitions 8
- Over 40 Reference Letters from People I have worked with 11- Awards:
- Winner of Open Eye Awards, Berlin Germany 2014
- America Abroad Media Awards 2012
- World Essay Competition 2007
- Ambassador of Peace 2006
Timeline
Communication Officer
UNICEF
01.2017 - 01.2022
Senior journalist/Editor
Afghanistan/Pakistan Stockholm International Water Institute
01.2015 - 01.2016
DAI Radio Programming Advisor
Afghanistan USAID
01.2015 - 01.2016
journalist
Afghanistan
01.2014
Afghanistan
01.2013
MICT Consultant/Trainer Investigative Journalism workshop consultant
01.2012
Communication Officer
Afghanistan/Germany MICT
01.2011 - 01.2015
Media Director of Programming
Afghanistan/USA
01.2010 - 01.2015
B.A - Journalism
University of Kabul
01.2010 - 01.2014
Journalist/Filmmaker
Afghanistan Free
01.2009 - 01.2012
Strategic Communications Officer
Afghanistan Independent Directorate of Local Governance, IDLG
01.2009 - 01.2010
Chief-Editor/Senior Communication Officer
Afghanistan IRD
01.2007 - 01.2009
Group Project Manager
Kabul, Afghanistan Afghan Youth
01.2006
International President
Afghanistan/Pakistan/India AIESEC
01.2006 - 01.2007
Public Relations Officer
Afghanistan UNHABITAT Media
01.2005
A-level - undefined
Beacon House School System
01.2003 - 01.2006
O-level - undefined
Beacon House School System
01.1998 - 01.2003
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