Aya Najadat is a language justice advocate and expert in trauma-informed language work, dedicated to bridging cultures by dismantling language barriers for asylum seekers, regardless of gender, religion, race, or sexual orientation, her work stands in contrast to the institutional silence and mistranslations that often obscure the realities of war and displacement. She is building her research focus on how trauma, vicarious trauma are experienced in contexts of war and displacement—particularly by civilians and aid workers—and how these realities are often silenced, mistranslated, or erased from institutional memory.

She has led responses to language-based violence, corrected mistranslations in international media with real-world consequences. Her work on addressing mistranslation has been featured by Al Jazeera English and Middle East Eye. Her broader contributions have also been highlighted in The Linguist Magazine. Aya holds a Master’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies of the Middle East from Freie Universität Berlin and has contributed to projects amplifying marginalized voices, including one that brought international attention to the linguicide of Kurdish communities.

Zina Qabbani is a multilingual communications officer with a drive for curating sustainable communication strategies and advocating for democratic journalism. Growing up in Riyadh, studying in Amman, and working in various cities across Germany, she moved through spaces shaped by contrasts—of language, politics, memory, and belonging. These experiences have nurtured a deep attentiveness to the quiet stories, the unspoken griefs, and the radical possibilities between Eastern and Western culture – inspiring her to write on various topics in culture, art and social movements.

Previously working as an arts journalist with Artmejo in Amman, Zina has been an active writer since 2017. Her investigative article on satellite journalism and cartographic practices during the Gaza genocide was featured on UntoldMag, DieM25,The Guardian and Al Jazeera Media Institute. Additionally, Zina holds a Master’s degree in Global Communication, concluding her studies with a combination of research on journalism in Palestine and cultural change in the Arab Gulf region.