Janine di Giovanni

JANINE DI GIOVANNI: Witness to War

Award-Winning War Correspondent and Human Rights Champion Who Has Reported from the Frontlines of History’s Most Harrowing Conflicts for Nearly Three Decades
Janine di Giovanni is one of the world’s most celebrated war correspondents, an award-winning author, and a leading voice in human rights and transitional justice. With a career spanning nearly three decades, Janine has reported from the frontlines of history’s most harrowing conflicts—from the first Palestinian intifada and the siege of Sarajevo, to the Rwandan genocide, the wars in Sierra Leone, Somalia, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Chechnya, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, the Arab Spring, and Syria. Her fearless fieldwork has taken her to some of the world’s most dangerous and closed societies, where she has documented war crimes, global terrorism, refugee crises, and sexual violence, often working undercover and alone.

HERE’S WHAT MAKES JANINE EXTRAORDINARY
Nearly 3 Decades Reporting from War Zones
✅ First Palestinian intifada✅ Siege of Sarajevo✅ Rwandan genocide✅ Wars in Sierra Leone, Somalia, Ivory Coast, Liberia✅ Chechnya, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq✅ Arab Spring and Syria✅ Fearless fieldwork in world’s most dangerous and closed societies✅ Documented war crimes, global terrorism, refugee crises, sexual violence✅ Often working undercover and alone
Founder of Groundbreaking Transitional Justice Organization
✅ CEO and Executive Director of The Reckoning Project ✅ Groundbreaking transitional justice organization✅ Founded to train researchers in Ukraine to collect testimonies for use in court✅ Drawing on her own frustration as journalist when victim testimonies were deemed inadmissible✅ Built team of legal experts and journalists to bridge critical gap between frontline journalism and international justice

Acclaimed Author of 10 Books
📚 “The Vanishing: Faith, Loss, and the Twilight of Christianity in the Land of the Prophets” – Shortlisted for Moore Prize for Human Rights, presented to Pope Francis 2022
📚 “The Morning They Came for Us: Dispatches from Syria” – Translated into 28 languages, finalist for Helen Bernstein Award for Excellence in Journalism
📚 “Ghosts by Daylight: Love, War, and Redemption”
📚 “Madness Visible: A Memoir of War”
📚 “The Place at the End of the World: Essays from the Edge”
📚 “The Quick and the Dead: Under Siege in Sarajevo”
📚 “Against the Stranger: Lives in Occupied Territory”
📚 “Eve Arnold: Magnum Legacy”

Over Dozen Major Awards
✅ American Academy of Arts and Letters’ highest nonfiction prize✅ Blake Dodd Award✅ National Magazine Award✅ Two Amnesty International Prizes✅ International Women’s Media Foundation’s Courage in Journalism Prize✅ Plus many more

Distinguished Academic & Thought Leader
✅ Senior Fellow and Professor at Yale University’s Jackson Institute for Global Affairs (2018-2022)✅ Taught acclaimed courses on human rights and war reporting✅ Lectured at Harvard, Princeton, London School of Economics✅ Moderated high-level events at World Bank, United Nations, US State Department✅ TED Talk “What I Saw in the War” – over 1 MILLION views✅ Delegate to World Economic Forum at Davos✅ Delegate to UK Government’s Conference on Sexual Violence in War

Bylines in World’s Leading Publications
✅ The New York Times✅ The Washington Post✅ The Guardian✅ The New York Review of Books✅ Harper’s✅ The Atlantic✅ Foreign Affairs✅ Vanity Fair✅ Senior Foreign Correspondent for The Times of London✅ Contributing Editor for Vanity Fair✅ Twice-monthly global affairs column for The Nation (Abu Dhabi)

Trusted Advisor to International Organizations
✅ Written white papers and consulted for: UN Refugee Agency, UN Democracy Fund, Shattuck Center on Conflict, Negotiation and Recovery, International Refugee Commission✅ International Board Member: Institute for War and Peace Reporting✅ Member: Council on Foreign Relations✅ Non-resident Fellow: New America Foundation and Geneva Center for Security Policy

Deep Regional Expertise
✅ Middle East expert✅ Russia and Ukraine specialist✅ NATO and European foreign policy✅ Transatlantic US/Europe relations✅ Africa regional expertise✅ Humanitarian policy authority

HER MESSAGE: BEARING WITNESS TO HISTORY’S DARKEST HOURS
Janine’s bylines appear in the world’s leading publications, and her expertise is sought by governments and international organizations alike. With deep regional expertise spanning the Middle East, Russia and Ukraine, NATO and European foreign policy, transatlantic US/Europe relations, Africa, and humanitarian policy, Janine di Giovanni brings a uniquely comprehensive geopolitical perspective to her work.
Her decades of frontline reporting—from the wars in Bosnia, Syria, and Chechnya to conflicts across Africa—have given her firsthand insight into the complex forces shaping global affairs. Follow her X Account for up to date discussions.

She teaches audiences:
• What it means to bear witness in war zones
• The emotional toll of reporting from conflict
• Whose story gets told and the responsibility of representation in conflict journalism
• Safety, harassment, and survival as a woman in conflict zones
• What war teaches us about humanity
• Navigating gender and conflict in war reporting
• Double battles: navigating culture and conflict in sharing history

Di Giovanni’s ability to analyze and communicate the intricate interplay between local conflicts and broader international dynamics has made her an essential voice in understanding today’s geopolitical landscape, and her commitment to exposing human rights abuses continues to inform and influence policy debates worldwide.

HER PHILOSOPHY: COURAGE, COMPASSION, COMMITMENT TO JUSTICE
A true global citizen, Janine is fluent in French, dividing her time between Manhattan, London, and Paris, and is the proud mother of her son, Luca. Over her extraordinary career, she has authored thousands of essays and op-eds, bearing witness to the world’s darkest hours with courage, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to justice.
She believes:
• Bearing witness is a moral imperative
• Victim testimonies must be heard in courts of justice
• Sexual violence in war must be documented and prosecuted
• Journalists have responsibility to amplify voices of the voiceless
• Understanding war helps us understand humanity
• Frontline reporting can change policy and save lives

SPEAKING TOPICS
✅ War Reporting / Witness and Warrior: The Emotional Toll of Reporting from War Zones – The psychological cost of bearing witness to atrocity
✅ Whose Story Gets Told? The Responsibility of Representation in Conflict Journalism – Ethics and power dynamics in war reporting
✅ Body Armor and Boundaries: Safety, Harassment, and Survival as a Woman in Conflict Zones – Unique challenges facing women war correspondents
✅ Beyond the Battlefield: What War Teaches Us About Humanity – Lessons from three decades in war zones
✅ Navigating Gender and Conflict in War Reporting – Women’s perspectives on covering conflict
✅ Double Battles: Navigating Culture and Conflict in Sharing History – Cross-cultural challenges in conflict journalism
✅ The Reckoning Project: Bridging Journalism and International Justice – Transitional justice and accountability
✅ Sexual Violence in War: Documentation, Prosecution, Prevention – Expert analysis of wartime sexual violence
✅ Middle East in Crisis – Regional expertise on ongoing conflicts
✅ Russia, Ukraine, and European Security – Analysis of Eastern European geopolitics
✅ The Refugee Crisis: From Frontline to Policy – Humanitarian perspectives from war zones

IDEAL FOR
✅ Journalism and media conferences✅ Human rights and transitional justice summits✅ Foreign policy and international relations forums✅ Women’s leadership and empowerment events✅ Academic institutions and universities✅ Government and policy forums✅ Humanitarian and refugee crisis conferences✅ Conflict resolution and peacebuilding summits✅ International development forums✅ Security and defense conferences

WHY BOOK JANINE DI GIOVANNI
Janine doesn’t speak from theory—she speaks from the frontlines. With nearly three decades bearing witness to history’s most harrowing conflicts, she brings unmatched credibility, moral authority, and compelling storytelling that transforms how audiences understand war, humanity, and justice.

Your audience will leave understanding:
✅ The reality of war beyond headlines and political rhetoric✅ The human cost of conflict and the resilience of survivors✅ Why bearing witness matters for justice and accountability✅ The unique challenges and perspectives of women in war zones✅ How frontline journalism informs and influences policy✅ The intersection of journalism, human rights, and international law
Over her extraordinary career, Janine has authored thousands of essays, 10 books, and countless reports that have shaped how the world understands conflict. She brings courage, compassion, and unwavering commitment to justice to every stage.

📅 JANINE BOOKS 6-12+ MONTHS IN ADVANCE
As one of the world’s most celebrated war correspondents, award-winning author, and sought-after expert on conflict and human rights, her calendar fills quickly for conferences, academic institutions, and international forums.

READY TO BRING ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST RESPECTED VOICES ON WAR AND HUMAN RIGHTS TO YOUR EVENT?
📧 Email: contact@presbourgspeakers.com📞 US: +1-929-589-1440📞 EU/WhatsApp: +33.7.84.18.80.44
Contact us today to discuss your event and check Janine’s availability.