Stories about Digital Activism from September, 2009
Macedonia: Freedom Not Fear 2009
Information Policy cites an item on privacy-related citizen education activities that took place in Macedonia during this year's Freedom Not Fear action. The item was published on the website of Metamorphosis Foundation, a Macedonian NGO that was one of the event's organizers.
Iran: Animations vs. Dictatorship
Many designs, posters, songs and videos have been created in support of Iran's "green" protest movement. Animators too, have declared war on the dictatorship in Iran.
Russia: Broadband & Recession; Yahoo! & Russia
Svetlana Gladkova of Profy reports that “broadband access growth twice lower than expected due to recession in Russia.” In another post, she notes that after reading an interview with Marvin Liao, director for Yahoo!'s Sales Development, Emerging Markets Group, she got “a very strong feeling that we will see some...
Update from the Harvard Forum on ICT4D
Ethan Zuckerman and Jen Brea from Global Voices are live-blogging a conversation today and tomorrow at Harvard on the future of information and communication technology and development (ICT4D) hosted by Canada's International Development Research Center and Harvard's Berkman Center for Internet & Society.
Belarus: Internet Issues
Andrei Khrapavitski of Belarusan American Blog comments on Evgeny Morozov's TED talk on “the ways the Internet can actually help oppressive regimes stifle dissent.”
China: Reflections on blogging
Roland started a post reflecting on his blogging experience at ESWN.
Iran: Protests Greet Ahmadinejad in New York
Protests against the Iranian government and human rights violations in Iran will welcome Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who is traveling to New York this week to attend the United Nation's General Assembly.
Africa: Will technophobia crash the ICT party?
With the growing influence of ICT for development, can fear of technology and misunderstanding of its uses disproportionally affect the developing world? Here are a few examples of initiatives to combat technophobia in Africa.
Egypt: Will Farouk Hosni be Unesco's Next Director General ?
Egypt's culture minister Farouk Hosny is vying for Unesco's top post. Marwa Rakha sums up the reactions of bloggers towards this nomination and the election process.
Can social media help make microfinance sustainable?
Microfinance agencies provide loans to small businesspeople who often can’t meet the strict credit terms of large banks. Either these entrepreneurs don’t have the capital or the cash to back the loan. Or as the large banks argue, their credit needs are too small.
Omani Bloggers Take the Streets To Combat Swine Flu
Omani bloggers have started their Swine Flu Awareness Campaign yesterday by going through Souq Matrah to spread the message and educate people.
Ecuador: Quito Twestival Supporting Social Causes
In Ecuador, the Quito Twestival is starting to attract a lot of interest as a way to support a social cause, writes Christian Espinosa of Cobertura Digital [es].
Iran: Quds Demonstration via Google Maps
Watch protest demonstration in Quds Day in Iran via Google Maps and Youtube.
Omani Bloggers Swine Flu Campaign
Omani bloggers are joining hands to prompte more awareness and protect their people from the dangers of swine flu. So far, 16 people have died from the disease in the Sultanate, the highest amongst its neighbours.
Morocco: Rage Against the Sandwich Continues
Eating in public during Ramadan is often seen as a disregardful and disrespectful act and might attract the anger of the public. Moreover it is punishable by law. Moroccan Bloggers and cyber-activists react to the attempt by some non-observants to brave the ban on breaking the fast in public during Ramadan.
Iran: Videos from Quds Day Protests
On September 18, Iranian protesters wearing green in support of the opposition, once more defied the Iranian government in the streets of Tehran, Shiraz, Isfahan, and several other cities as they protested against dictatorship.
Egypt: Bloggers call for a fun-filled harassment-free Eid
As Eid Al Fitr approaches, women in Egypt are bracing themselves for even more sexual harassment than what has already become a disturbing norm. Bloggers and online activists are also joining forces to fight the phenomenon, calling for a fun-filled and harassment-free celebration.
Morocco: Activists Break Fast in Public, Receive Punishment
During the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims abstain from eating or drinking from dawn to sunset. A group of Moroccan activists was reprimanded for breaking the fast in public, an action that is punishable under the Moroccan criminal code. A divided blogoma reacts to the incident.
Iran: More protests planned on “Quds Day”
The Iranian 'green' opposition protest movement is spreading the word through online and offline citizen media about more protests in Tehran and other cities on September 18, international Quds Day.
Lebanon: “We’re Here, We’re Queer, We’re Online”
Bekhsoos is a newly relaunched online magazine "covering topics related to (homo)sexuality in the Arab world". It was founded by the Lebanese group Meem, a support community for lesbians, bisexuals, queers, questioning women, and transgender persons.
Syria: A Week Against Everything and Anything
The Syrian blogosphere is frequently one of dissent. This week, following a post decrying the practice of masturbation and encouraging bloggers to join in a campaign against, the blogosphere exploded in a flurry of opposition, creating their own (often sarcastic) campaigns. Jillian C. York brings us the story.
