Workshops, Kite-flying, & Docs=Youth Team Building @ADInitiative

New York~Again, PITAPOLICY is excited to share what has been presented at the 2nd Annual Envision Arab Summit, which is being held at New York University’s Kimmel Center. If it weren’t for #PITAPALS, Bareeq Barqawi, certain aspects like Like PITAPOLICY Founder, Mehrunisa Qayyum, is also serving as a Project Mentor.

As Barqawi tweets about another organization working in Palestine “Voices Beyond Walls – an initiative for children to get involved with film, arts and theater in Gaza,” the raw footage of “Flying Paper” by Nittin Sawhney contrasted with some of the more financially focused projects.

Human Rights Advocacy is Not Just A Right, But a Responsibility

Nasser Weddady (known on Twitter as @Weddady), a Human Rights Activist from Mauritania, does not limit himself to talking about his country’s activities. In his 17 minutes, he described the steps involved in bringing about “Blogospheric pressure”. For example, he described his earlier HAMSA project effort. HAMSA organizes campaigns, develops campaigns, to unite people of conscious to support the movement to secure civil rights in the Middle East–in particular: Iraq, Egypt, and Bahrain.

HAMSA project is the brainchild of the American-based American Islamic Congress. Although AIC includes some colorful characters on its board. Nonetheless, their advocacy campaigns included challenging Nokia’s commercial role as Arab activists were jailed during the Arab Awakening. The crowd had to stifle nervous giggles as the screen showed Nokia’s logo as “Connecting People” to “Jailing People”

Logging off now because Rafif Jouejati (known on Twitter as @RafifJ), a Syrian American woman whom I interviewed when the Syria uprisings first broke, has now taken the stage with “Good Afternoon, Future Leaders…” (I need a slice of humble pie before my next posting.) As Ms. Jouejati shares, “My father worked for the United Nations. In many ways, I am a product of the Syrian regime…I worked for state television as a news reporter.” Immediately I want to shout out “There’s no need for you to apologize. You are taking ownership of a problem…you’re cultivating a public space for diaspora consciousness…”

Not many activists acknowledge that working within an oppressive regime’s public sector as almost “complicit” with working with an oppressive regime. Usually they take pride in setting themselves above the government if they have had the luxury to escape the regime, or a real choice to work outside of government. However, Ms. Jouejati, like many Syrians, worked for one of Syria’s public television channels, thereby “working for them regime” as she courageously states–although it was indirect and any reporter within a media-censored society would have also faced if placed in her shoes. It is easier to disassociate oneself when not working in the country. She is an activist through and through, and as she’s inspired by non-violent protests, I am inspired by her example from the last 19 months. I still remember her peacefully demonstrating against the Syrian ambassador outside his residence in Woodley Park.

Anyways, enough till next time. My interview of her and other Syrian Americans may be found here: Syrian Diaspora: Cultivating a New Public Space Consciousness” by the Middle East Institute.

TWEETS Worth REPEATING!

Bareeq B. Barqawi ‏@BareeqBarqawi

Learning about organization ‘Voices Beyond Walls’ – initiative for children to get involved with film, arts, and theater in Gaza. #EAS12

Workshops, Kite-flying, & Docs=Youth Team Building @ADInitiative

One Response to Workshops, Kite-flying, & Docs=Youth Team Building @ADInitiative

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

PITA Points

My Profile On Twitter

PITAPOLICY

@PITAPOLICY

Blogroll

Networked Blogs

Awesomize

Polls

The Tadawul All Share Index: TASI

PITA Categories

Archives

Tags