This year, DAWN's Annual Gala & Awards Dinner will be held on Monday, October 5, 2026, at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., bringing together our community to honor courage in the pursuit of justice and support DAWN's work across the Middle East and North Africa.
Keynote speaker:
Senator Chris Van Hollen
DAWN will present the Jamal Khashoggi Defender of Justice Award to
Dr. Tanya Haj-Hassan,
the Jordanian-American pediatrician whose testimony from medical missions to Gaza has drawn attention to the devastating toll of the war on Palestinian children and health care workers, and
Ahmed Shihab-Eldin,
the Emmy-nominated journalist who was jailed and stripped of his Kuwaiti citizenship for his reporting.
ALSO FEATURING
Sharif Abdel Kouddous — Journalist, Drop Site News
Dr. Thaer Ahmad — featured in the new documentary American Doctor
Francesca Albanese – UN Special Rapporteur (by video)
Nihad Awad – DAWN Board Chair
Tawakkol Karman — Nobel Peace Laureate (by video)
Omar Shakir — DAWN Executive Director
Anas (Andy) Shallal — Busboys & Poets
Sarah Leah Whitson — former DAWN Executive Director
The evening will also bring together leading voices to discuss DAWN's work to challenge U.S. support for repressive governments in the region and will offer a look at our renewed vision and strategy for the year ahead.
Join us for an evening to bring our community together, recognize incredible individuals, and reaffirm our shared commitment to the fight against impunity and to end complicity in grave repression in the Middle East and North Africa.
Purchase Tickets / RSVP
Your participation directly supports DAWN's relentless research, litigation, policy work, and advocacy that is pushing the envelope in the fight for human rights across the MENA region. If you cannot join us this year but still want to support DAWN's work, consider donating to sponsor a table or local human rights activists or student groups to attend.
