The family of missing journalist James Foley (Medill ‘08) will raise awareness for his disappearance during World Press Freedom Day in Boston.
A May 3 event called “Silenced Voices: When Conflict Zone Reporters Go Missing” will feature an update on the search for Foley by Phil Balboni, CEO and founder of Global Post, the international news organization Foley was working for when he went missing.
A panel discussion will include other journalists who have been held captive in conflict zones, including Roxana Saberi (Medill ‘99) and former New York Times reporter David Rohde. Beena Sarwar, a journalist specializing in human rights issues, will also join the panel. Medill Prof. Jack Doppelt will moderate.
Medill will show live video of the event in Evanston.
Foley was captured Nov. 22 near Syria’s border with Turkey. His family has not heard from him or his captors since he was kidnapped, despite trying to find about where he is using social networks in the region.
This is the second time the conflict reporter has been captured. In spring of 2011, Foley spent more than 42 days in captivity in Libya. He was released May 19 of that year.
— Cat Zakrzewski