Building Journalism That Heals
as Much as It Informs
IACJ is the global institutional home for constructive and restorative journalism — uniting practitioners, scholars, and advocates committed to media that serves democracy, community, and truth.
Founded in 2019 by Mutiu Olawuyi, we operate across 48 countries with a growing platform of education, research, publishing, and community.
Join IACJ TodayWhat We Stand For
Every story we champion offers context, explores solutions, and amplifies voices of change — not just voices of crisis.
Our peer-reviewed journal and research programmes set the scholarly standard for constructive journalism globally.
From Dakar to Delhi, Lagos to London — our membership spans every continent, language, and media tradition.
We measure success not just in readership, but in communities served, policies changed, and healing enabled.
Mutiu Olawuyi is an award-winning journalist, media strategist, and the visionary founder of the International Association of Constructive Journalists. With over two decades of experience spanning newsrooms across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, Mutiu identified a critical gap in global journalism culture — a systemic bias toward crisis, conflict, and catastrophe at the expense of solutions, healing, and hope.
He is the originator of the Constructive Restorative Journalism (CRJ) framework, which extends Ulrik Haagerup's Constructive Journalism model with a restorative mandate — drawing on restorative justice theory, peacebuilding principles, and African philosophical traditions including Ubuntu. Under his leadership, IACJ has grown into a global movement with members in 48 countries.
The People Behind the Movement
A seasoned journalist and media administrator providing the organisational backbone for IACJ's global operations. Oversees secretariat functions, member relations, and strategic documentation across all departments and regions.
Prominent journalist from The Gambia leading IACJ's external communications, press relations, and public visibility strategy. Known for vibrant on-air presence and advocacy journalism across West Africa.
Based in Senegal, Aliou manages IACJ's initiatives end-to-end. His Franco-African perspective and multilingual fluency bridge IACJ's Anglophone leadership with its growing Francophone membership base.
Accomplished writer, literary editor, and publisher overseeing IACJ's publishing portfolio — including JCRJ and The Constructivists quarterly. Brings distinctive intellectual character to all publications.
Overseeing technical production of all IACJ content — from digital publications and multimedia packages to conference materials and online courses. Manages all production workflows.
Handling the logistical machinery behind IACJ's growing event calendar — from venue sourcing to on-the-ground delivery across multiple time zones.
Connecting IACJ with its diverse network of partners, institutions, and government bodies across West Africa. Rooted in the media traditions of northern Nigeria.
Scholarly & Strategic Guidance
Distinguished Nigerian scholar, linguist, and public intellectual. Professor of English and Linguistics with prolific academic work spanning language, journalism, peace studies, and African letters. Provides strategic scholarly guidance on IACJ's research direction, publication standards, and global academic positioning.
Greek media scholar, journalist, and communication researcher. Her research spans media ethics, constructive journalism in crisis contexts, and the intersection of journalism and social cohesion across Southern and Eastern Europe.
Celebrated Indian poet, philosopher, and literary scholar. Founder of Biotext. Author of over 150 books. His work on human consciousness, empathy, and ethical communication aligns deeply with IACJ's vision of journalism as a restorative, humanity-centred practice.
Building a Movement
Mutiu Olawuyi establishes the International Association of Constructive Journalists with a founding membership of 12 journalists from six countries, anchored by a manifesto for constructive restorative reporting.
The Journal of Constructive Restorative Journalism publishes its inaugural issue — establishing IACJ as a serious academic institution with globally peer-reviewed research.
IACJ launches certified training programmes — over 300 journalists trained in the first year across Africa, Europe, and South Asia.
Launch of IACJ's flagship magazine — a beautifully designed quarterly publication showcasing the best of constructive and restorative journalism from around the world.
IACJ reaches a landmark milestone with strategic partnerships with leading journalism schools, media organisations, and press freedom bodies globally.
Launch of the IACJ Global Digital Platform — the world's premier digital hub for constructive journalism publishing, learning, events, and community.
About the International Association of Constructive Journalists
IACJ is the global institutional home for constructive and restorative journalism — uniting practitioners, scholars, and advocates committed to media that serves democracy, community, and truth.
Founded in 2019 by Mutiu Olawuyi, we operate across 48 countries with a growing platform of education, research, publishing, and community. Our flagship publications include the peer-reviewed Journal of Constructive Restorative Journalism (JCRJ) and The Constructivists quarterly magazine.
Our Mission
To promote, advance and institutionalise constructive and restorative journalism as the global standard — through education, research, community, and advocacy across every media landscape on earth.
Our Team
- Mutiu Olawuyi — Founder & Chair
- Akeem Babatunde Alao — General Secretary
- Ebrima Fadera — Publicity Secretary (The Gambia)
- Aliou Top — Project Coordinator (Senegal)
- Dustin Pickering — Publication Director (USA)
- Azeez Balogun — Production Manager
- Rose Cate — Logistics Director
- Kamil Dan Fulani — Liaison Officer
Advisory Council
- Prof. Mahfouz Adedimeji — Chair, Advisory Council · University of Ilorin, Nigeria
- Dr. Chrysoula Velisariou — Member · Athens, Greece
- Dr. Jernail Aanand — Member · International Academy of Ethics