People
The people behind Zanzalakht.
Zanzalakht is guided by a multidisciplinary board bringing together expertise in culture, law, civil society, technology and international development. Founders, honorary members and volunteers provide strategic guidance, governance oversight and hands-on expertise.
Founders
Lina Sinjab
Founder, CEO · Journalism, documentary film, cultural strategy
A Syrian journalist, documentary filmmaker and cultural practitioner whose work over more than two decades has explored conflict, memory, identity and the human stories behind political change across the Middle East. As a BBC correspondent and independent filmmaker, Lina has documented the resilience of communities across the region.
Luay Al Hammada
Technology · Monitoring & evaluation
Data analyst and technology specialist with expertise in research, monitoring and evaluation, strategic planning and evidence-based decision-making.
Azza Abo Rebieh
Visual arts · Heritage · Printmaking
Syrian visual artist and printmaker whose work explores memory, displacement and identity. A graduate of Damascus University’s Faculty of Fine Arts, her work is held in the British Museum collection. In 2025 she received the Václav Havel International Prize for Creative Dissent.
Razan Rashidi
Civil society · International partnerships
Executive Director of The Syria Campaign, with nearly two decades of experience across humanitarian action, advocacy, civil society and international development.
Dr. Ayman Monem
Human rights · Law
Syrian lawyer and academic specializing in law, human rights and civil society development, with more than twenty years of experience supporting Syrian organizations and initiatives.
Honorary & advisory board
Kinan Azmeh
Music · Composition · Performance
Syrian-born, Brooklyn-based composer and clarinettist acclaimed for his genre-defying work across classical, jazz and contemporary music. A Grammy-winning member of the Silkroad Ensemble, he has collaborated with Yo-Yo Ma, Marcel Khalife and Daniel Barenboim.
Yam Mashhadi
Screenwriting · Award winner
Syrian screenwriter and playwright known for socially driven works that have shaped contemporary Syrian television, including Takht Sharqi and Qalam Homra. She received the Adonia Award for Best Screenplay.
Dunia Al-Dahan
Cultural policy · Fine arts
A researcher and cultural policy consultant spanning Fine Arts, Public Administration (INA/INSP), and civil society advocacy. Her work centers on institutional governance, archives, and memory in conflict settings.
Aliya Mawani
Foreign Policy · Cultural Diplomacy · Inclusive Leadership
Canadian diplomat, lawyer, and former Ambassador to Kuwait, advising governments, private sector leaders and cultural institutions on engagement across the Middle East.
Daniel Gorman
Cultural leadership · International arts · Literature
Director of English PEN. Previously Executive Director of Shubbak, Europe’s largest festival of contemporary Arab culture, he has written for The Guardian and The Irish Times.
Jamel Oubechou
Cultural diplomacy · Cultural leadership
French-Algerian Chief of Staff to the President of the National Museum of Asian Arts – Guimet in Paris, and a graduate of the École normale supérieure and Sciences Po Paris, with extensive experience across French diplomacy, cultural leadership and academia, including senior postings across the Middle East, Africa, Europe and North America. He currently teaches Cultural Diplomacy at Sciences Po Paris and serves on the board of Bibliothèques Sans Frontières.