Members of the 19th WANN cohort on Induction Day. Additional members attended via online video.

We Are Not Numbers (WANN) has welcomed its 19th cohort of young Palestinian writers, bringing together a new generation of storytellers committed to sharing authentic Palestinian experiences with global audiences.

The new cohort includes 41 young Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip, the occupied Palestinian territory, Ireland, Jordan, the United States, and Canada. On June 23, 2026, participants gathered for Induction Day, marking the beginning of a six-month training program designed to strengthen their writing, communication, and advocacy skills.

Throughout the program, participants will receive training in creative and journalistic writing, storytelling, public speaking, media engagement, international law, human rights, and other related subjects. Sessions will be delivered by experts from around the world through a combination of in-person workshops and live virtual training.

As the program progresses, each writer will be paired with an internationally recruited English-language mentor. These mentors — published writers, journalists, and editors — will guide participants in developing and refining personal stories for publication on the WANN website.

During Induction Day, participants were introduced to the project’s mission, values, and operational framework. They also had the opportunity to connect with fellow writers and begin building a supportive community.

The young writers in Cohort 19 were oriented to the program through a series of short presentations by WANN team members. 

“WANN serves as a foundation where emerging writers can grow, connect, and find their voice,” said Walaa Sabah, WANN executive director. “At this critical moment, when Palestinian narratives must be told by those living them, we are proud to support a new cohort of writers whose stories will ibear witness to the realities faced by their people.”

Through personal storytelling, WANN creates space for young Palestinians to present themselves on their own terms — sharing their experiences, aspirations, talents, and aspects of their everyday lives. In doing so, the project encourages audiences to engage with the people behind the headlines and to recognize the human realities that are often absent from conventional news coverage.

“We Are Not Numbers was launched to break the cycle in which the media spoke about victims as absent characters rather than as individuals with voices of their own,” noted Maha Hussaini, head of media and public engagement at Euro-Med Monitor (WANN is registered in Gaza under the umbrella of that organization). “Today, WANN’s mission is to nurture a new generation capable of speaking for themselves, telling their own stories, and giving names, faces, and color to the numbers that appear in the news.” 

This philosophy stems from Euro-Med Monitor’s broader approach: involving victims of human rights violations in the process of advocating for and defending their own rights, rather than having others speak on their behalf.

The Gaza office of We Are Not Numbers is funded through a grant from The Human Rights Fund.