About Me

It is dedicated to a growing passion : photoreporting. My name is Mona Hammoud-Elhor, I am a French-Lebanese journalist. I was born in Paris. I left France at 10 for Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. I grew up between dunes and beautiful beaches, surrounded by hundreds of nationalities.

I became fluent in English and Arabic at the age of 11. I was lucky to visit the Middle-East and learn about different cultures, it opened up my mind and brought me so much. After high school, got my diploma and left for Beirut, in Lebanon. I studied Journalism at the Lebanese American University. I’ve spent wonderful years in Lebanon, learnt so much about American and Arab coverage about different issues, it enlarged my vision spectrum. Since then, I decided I’d work in international reporting.

After my BA in journalism at LAU, I went back to Paris, to finish my master at the Ecole supérieure de Journalisme de Paris. I graduated in 2014.

I needed to go back to my roots and discover journalism from Beirut. I went back, with no specific projects, no job. I arrived during the strongest period of Syrian crisis.

Migratory flows always interested me and I felt I had to be in the heart of it to understand and develop my critical thinking.

I disagreed with the French mainstream media and its coverage of the Arab world and the Syrian crisis. I spent 4 years on the Lebanese field. After the theory, comes the practice!

I learnt everyday about how to BE a journalist and experimented a lot. I was a novice but experiences I’ve had are priceless.

It all made me realize how my job as reporter, is fundamental and yet threatened. It’s harder today to work as a freelance unless you have a strong base. Unfortunately, opportunities are becoming rare and starting a career can be difficult sometimes, salaries aren’t up to the challenge.
I’ve been through moments of doubts, disappointment and discouragement but at the end of the day, it made me stronger. I’ve also been through happiness and success.

I had the chance to work for L’Orient-Le Jour, The Wall Street Journal, the BBC Middle East, l’Agenda Culturel, RFI etc… Being a nomad for many years made me who I am today and has reflection on my journalism: open-minded, curious and empathetic.

I chose to work about the Syrian crisis in Lebanon because it has influenced a whole country and two populations. I tried to catch emotion from people who lost everything and yet were so proud and worthy.

Today I am back in Paris, working for an international news media channel.

The journey isn’t over.

Mona