Hussein Aoudat

Hussein Aoudat was a Syrian writer and journalist, who was born in Umm Al-Mayathen village in Dara’a Governorate countryside in 1937. He was licensed in geography and the French language, and held a diploma in journalism. He was the consultant of the Prime Minister for Culture and Journalism in Syria. He ran the Syrian Arabian News Agency and Dar Al-Ahali Publishing House. He prepared several studies on media and cultural affairs in Arab countries for ALECSO, ASBU, UNESCO, and ACRESEG. He was also a prominent figure in the Syrian opposition movement, and participated in various civil society initiatives and conferences. He supported the Syrian revolution in 2011, and faced prosecution and security threats. He died in Damascus in 2016. He was considered one of the most influential Syrian writers and journalists of his time. He established several media platforms, including the Syrian Arab News Agency "SANA" in 1966, and "Arab News" newspaper in 1990. He wrote articles and studies in dozens of Arab newspapers and periodicals. He founded and took over the management of the "Dar Al-Ahali" for printing and publishing in Damascus in 1987, which is one of the most important Arab publishing houses. He also authored several books, such as "The Arab Media in the Age of Globalization", "The Arab Media and the Challenges of the 21st Century", and "The Arab Media and the Information Society". He received several awards and honors for his work, such as the Arab Journalism Award in 2008, and the Syrian Order of Merit in 2010.