Forward Magazine was founded by media and technology entrepreneur Abdulsalam Haykal. The first edition appeared on 5 January 2007. Born from the firm conviction that the only way is forward in Syria and other options do not exist, Forward Magazine is the only balanced, local, and reliable source of information on Syria in the English language.


Published by Haykal Media, Forward Magazine addresses the young and old, the resident of Syria, the expatriate, and the international reader. If one were looking for a grim and unjust picture of Syria, then Forward Magazine is going to disappoint them. The magazine speaks of the way forward, and the good things in Syria. Forward speaks hope, and preaches optimism. It highlights the talent, character, and potential of the Syrian people. It does not distort facts nor does it falsify realities. Simply, it looks at the bright side of things, while pointing to the shortcomings, with the objective of change and reform, rather than cynicism.


Forward Magazine enters its sixth year with an impressive record. It has featured leading regional and international names like David Ignatius of The Washington Post, Ibrahim Hamidi of Al Hayat, Hala Gorani of CNN, Seymour Hersh of The New Yorker, and Riz Khan of Al-Jazeera. It has featured exclusive interviews with regional and international figures, including Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Syria's First Lady Asma al-Assad, and former president Jimmy Carter. It was the first and still is the only Syrian publication to interview a US President. Other guests include the Foreign Ministers of Turkey, Norway, the Czech Republic, and France, in addition to the presidents of India and Finland.


Forward Magazine is edited by Syrian writer and author Sami Moubayed, a leading international source on Syrian analysis and news. The print edition is produced to the highest international standards.