Arwa Damon is an award-winning senior international correspondent for CNN, based in Beirut. She covers major news events across Lebanon and the surrounding regions. Damon is also a key member of CNN’s Iraq team, providing in-depth reporting from the region throughout the year.
Born in 1977, Arwa Damon spent her early years in Massachusetts before relocating to Turkey, where she completed her high school education. She then attended Skidmore College in New York, graduating with honors. Damon earned a degree in French and Biology and minored in International Affairs. Fluent in Arabic, Turkish, French, and English, Damon’s diverse background has significantly enhanced her work in international journalism.
Damon is the granddaughter of Muhsin al-Barazi, a former Syrian prime minister who was assassinated during a military coup in 1949—an element of her heritage that has influenced her understanding of Middle Eastern politics and history.
Before entering journalism, Damon briefly worked for a textile manufacturer. Her media journey began with Camera Planet, a production company, where she developed foundational experiences in field reporting. She later worked as a producer on conflict coverage in the Middle East for outlets including Fox News, PBS, and eventually CNN. Leveraging her multilingual skills, she initially served as a fixer and translator—a critical role in conflict and war reporting environments.
Damon joined CNN’s Baghdad bureau in 2003 and officially became part of the network as a correspondent in 2006. During her tenure, she has covered pivotal developments, including the Iraq War, the trial of Saddam Hussein, and his subsequent execution.
Throughout her career, Damon has covered numerous landmark international stories. These include the Libyan uprising and the Egyptian revolution against President Hosni Mubarak, as well as major political events such as Indonesia’s parliamentary elections, the 2010 Iraqi parliamentary elections, and the 2010 presidential election in the Philippines.
Her investigative approach has brought global attention to human rights issues, such as her coverage of a physically abused boy in Iraq who later received treatment in the United States. Damon also made history as one of the first television journalists to enter Iraq's Khamiya prison, where she reported on the poor treatment of female detainees.
Known for her fearless and compassionate reporting, Damon has played a critical role in CNN’s international coverage. Her coverage of the Arab Spring revolutions in Libya and Egypt earned CNN a News and Documentary Emmy Award in 2012. She also produced the documentary Inside Iraq, which examined the country’s turmoil and its efforts toward recovery and stability.
In 2012, she also gained national attention when her reporting revealed the diary of U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens after the Benghazi attack, sparking national debate and further establishing her prominence in the field.
| Birth Date: | 19 Sep, 1977 |
| Age: | 42 yrs |
| Occupations: | Journalist |
| Citizenship: | United States of America |
| Birth Place: | Boston |
| Education: | Skidmore College Robert College |
| Gender: | Female |
| Description: | American journalist |
| Twitter Id: | ArwaCNN |
| Net Worth 2021: | 3 million |
