Raghida Dergham

Raghida Dergham (; born 1953) is a Lebanese-American journalist based in Lebanon. She is the Founder and Executive Chairman of Beirut Institute and Columnist for Annahar Al Arabi and The National. She served as Columnist, Senior Diplomatic Correspondent, and New York Bureau Chief for the London-based Al-Hayat daily for 28 years. She is well known internationally as a Middle Eastern female journalist, and has received awards for her career achievements.

Dergham sees herself as an interpreter of the Middle Eastern and American cultures for her two audiences.

Early life Raghida Dergham was born to Nabih and Bahia Dergham in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1953. Her family is Druze in religion. Dergham moved to the United States in 1970 when she was seventeen, and worked her way through college at the State University of New York at Plattsburgh where she studied creative writing and journalism, and graduated in 1974.

Career Raghida Dergham began her career in journalism at the age of fifteen. She and her friend Hanan al-Shaykh, who is a Lebanese author, would publish their articles in the Beirut newspapers. Dergham published articles in (magazine) and (newspaper supplement).

Dergham was first hired professionally as a journalist in Boston, beginning her career in radio in 1974 and hosting a program Haneen (Translated: Nostalgia), and from this start, she became a foreign correspondent in New York in 1976. Dergham's work has been featured in many major publications including: The New York Times, Washington Post, Gulf News, LA Times, Newsweek International, and several others.

She was influenced by the interviewing style of Oriana Fallaci while rejecting her politics and views.

Notable journalism assignments Raghida Dergham conducted an exclusive interview with Ramzi Youssef who was behind the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.

The Committee to Protect Journalists responded: "We view the treason case against Dergham as part of a pattern of state harassment intended to punish an independent journalist for doing her job. The government of Lebanon has shown contempt for press freedom and the free public debate that is essential in a democratic society. The charges should be dropped, and Dergham should be free to work without further harassment."