Since the founding of TakingITGlobal in 1999, I have been incredibly inspired by my interactions with thousands of young change makers from all around the world. Through my Masters Research on youth-led action in an international context along with exposure to other studies and international conferences examining the role of today's generation of youth as change agents, I have gained an important observation. My observation is that I have seen the emergence of Six Archetypes of Youth Change Makers, which provide a glance at the roles young people are taking on in the process of creating change.
The Dreamer
The Dreamer is the driver behind new ideas. Dreamers are often the first to articulate a long-term vision for the future and think big. It is the sense of aspiration, optimism and imagination of dreamers that drive progress, innovation and change.
The Megaphone
The Megaphone is a vocal advocate for change. Megaphones are very focused on delivering the message and will campaign tirelessly and work hard to lobby for a message to be heard. They inspire action through their words and help to shift priorities on the agenda.
The Spark Plug
The Spark Plug is a catalyst and has a gift for networking and connecting people. The Spark Plug is able to foster collaborations and bring many different organizations and individuals together in dialogue, convincing diverse interest groups to come together for a common goal.
The Task Master
The Task Master is often behind the scenes making things happen and is sometimes the under-rated player within a group or organization. Often, it is the Task Master who literally keeps things together by turning ideas into manageable tasks with actionable timelines. Task Masters are practical, objective-oriented individuals.
The Sherpa
The Sherpa serves as a guide who provides mentorship, insight and training through peer education. Sherpas are natural educators with a strong interest in learning and sharing knowledge. Sherpas value hands on experiences and are able to draw upon the expertise and resources of those they encounter.
The Storyteller
The Storyteller is often the documenter of an organization and its projects, preparing short stories, interviews, blogs, webcasts newsletters and more. Storytellers become a vehicle for spreading inspiration and sharing of best practices through identifying patterns and strengthening movements through recognizing exceptional individuals.
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You can also use your dream loops and failures trials as educative and motivation backgrounds for your life, future, dream editing and “dream for other and with others” multimedia designs.
Easily browse the newest Dream Success Stories on “anyweb.site “ and “AnyTrueModel in RealLife”
Make your desktop more interesting with sharing your passion with friends and family and believe in God.
Finally here we are, our train is moving on. Now you are in no way, the final say in what YOUR dream
Los días 29 y 30 de abril de 2009, se llevó a cabo en Cartagena el I Encuentro del Comité Regional de Consejos de Juventud de la Costa Caribe Colombiana, organizado por el Consejo distrital de Juventud de Cartagena con el apoyo del Programa Presidencial Colombia Joven y la Fundación Colombia en Marcha.
Asistieron 28 jóvenes delegados de los departamentos de Bolívar, Atlántico, Magdalena, Córdoba, Guajira, Cesar, Sucre y San Andrés Isla y representantes de agencias de cooperación internacional como UNICEF, Plan Internacional, AECID Y GTZ.
Este encuentro fue realizado con el objetivo consolidar una instancia que permita crear una red de apoyo entre los departamentos de la Costa e impulsar a la conformación de los consejos municipales, distritales y departamentales en la Región.
Hace parte de un ciclo de 4 encuentros que se realizarán además, en las zonas sur, oriente y occidente del país, con el fin de dotar a Colombia de una instancia de interlocución con el Gobierno Nacional para lograr el cumplimiento de la Ley 375 de 1997, denominada Comité Nacional de Consejos de Juventud de Colombia.
Entre sus principales resultados podemos destacar, el compromiso firmado por UNICEF, GTZ, y los jóvenes de las regiones, para que se asista técnicamente la implementación del plan de incidencia que elabore el Comité y se solicite al Procurador General de la Nación incluir el cumplimiento de los mandatos de la ley de Juventud en la estrategia “Hechos y Derechos”.
Además, se seleccionó a la joven Rosa Montero Torres como representante de la región Caribe ante el Comité Nacional de Consejos de Juventud de Colombia.
Los días 29 y 30 de abril de 2009, se llevó a cabo en Cartagena el I Encuentro del Comité Regional de Consejos de Juventud de la Costa Caribe Colombiana, organizado por el Consejo distrital de Juventud de Cartagena con el apoyo del Programa Presidencial Colombia Joven y la Fundación Colombia en Marcha.
Asistieron 28 jóvenes delegados de los departamentos de Bolívar, Atlántico, Magdalena, Córdoba, Guajira, Cesar, Sucre y San Andrés Isla y representantes de agencias de cooperación internacional como UNICEF, Plan Internacional, AECID Y GTZ.
Este encuentro fue realizado con el objetivo consolidar una instancia que permita crear una red de apoyo entre los departamentos de la Costa e impulsar a la conformación de los consejos municipales, distritales y departamentales en la Región.
Hace parte de un ciclo de 4 encuentros que se realizarán además, en las zonas sur, oriente y occidente del país, con el fin de dotar a Colombia de una instancia de interlocución con el Gobierno Nacional para lograr el cumplimiento de la Ley 375 de 1997, denominada Comité Nacional de Consejos de Juventud de Colombia.
Entre sus principales resultados podemos destacar, el compromiso firmado por UNICEF, GTZ, y los jóvenes de las regiones, para que se asista técnicamente la implementación del plan de incidencia que elabore el Comité y se solicite al Procurador General de la Nación incluir el cumplimiento de los mandatos de la ley de Juventud en la estrategia “Hechos y Derechos”.
Además, se seleccionó a la joven Rosa Montero Torres como representante de la región Caribe ante el Comité Nacional de Consejos de Juventud de Colombia.
Today people live in a society where transformation of information and knowledge based on the opportunities for individuals and communities to be information producers as well as consumers, where socialization of knowledge exists. As information and communications technologies (ICT) continue to spread into all sectors of social and economic life, it became a vital tool for creating knowledge based society, building and sustaining human development. It has transformed our world from the industrial society into an informational one.
For that reason, knowledge has become an essential key for production, and a basic determination for creativity. The Info-Technological revolution which is led by advances in ICT is restructuring the global social economic equation— moving from income divide to knowledge divide. The revolution is spearheading the growth of knowledge societies in developed countries and raised much interest among civil society, markets and the agents of change.
While more than 850 million people in developing countries are excluded from a wide range of information and knowledge tools, the poors in those developing countries remain much isolated economically, socially and culturally from the burgeoning information and progress in arts, science and technology. In addition the global economy of capital investment is flowing to where the potential opportunities for reward can be found. These opportunities will be located in these places or regions where new values and creative ideas can be realized.
Information and Communication Technologies broadly refer to set of activities that facilitate—by electronic means—the capturing, storage, processing, transmission, and display of information.[1]
Information and Communications Technology is "an umbrella term that includes computer hardware and software; digital broadcast and telecommunications technologies as well as electronic information repositories such as the World Wide Web or those found on CD-ROMs (Selwyn 2002). It represents a broad and continually evolving range of elements that further includes television (TV), radio, mobile phones, and the policies and laws that govern these media and devices"[2]
Information and communication technologies are the tools that underpin the emerging “information society.” While no universally accepted definition for Information Society exists, it can be defined as "society in which the creation, distribution, and manipulation of information has become the most significant economic and cultural activity. An Information Society may be contrasted with societies in which the economic underpinning is primarily Industrial or Agrarian” (TechTarget 1999). "information" exchange between people and through networks of people has always taken place. The ICT enablement of information exchange, however, has radically changed the magnitude of this exchange, and thus, factors such as timeliness of information and information dissemination patterns have become more important than ever"[3].
As "information" is "the data that has been organized and communicated"[4] while "knowledge" has been described as "the set of statements, facts or ideas; presenting a reasoned judgment or an experimental result, which is transmitted to others through some communication medium in some system systematic form"[5]. In addition, both of the "information" and "knowledge" both considered being main pillars in achieving the "socialization of knowledge" in order to build “information society.”
Information Society has been one of the key terms used to describe today’s world, as ICT have brought revolutionary changes impacting every aspect of our society— connecting cultures, creating new opportunities for education, restructuring employment, generating new economies, and changing citizens' relation to government. Recognizing these and other paradigm shifts are typically seen as the natural development of the modern liberal tradition. Information and Communication Technologies/ICTs represent to today’s world what industrial machines represented during the industrial revolution; they have revolutionized ways of working, transformed the economy, had an irreversible impact on the way people live, and have shaped a new “information society".[6]It is about a second industry revolution but this time based in the information and communication arena.
on the other hand, the term of "socialization of knowledge" is used to "express the idea of transforming the private and individual knowledge to public and collective knowledge"[7].
Within the context of ICTs and Information Societies; we should refer to:
"environmental information systems" and "eco-efficiency"
"environmental information systems": The definition of environmental information is very wide and many researchers link between sustainable development and the information society focusing on the potential for information systems to assist decision-makers "to monitor and evaluate the state of the environment" using computer and information management technology to solve environmental problems and improve environmental stewardship. Environmental information system (EIS) programs seek “to increase the quality, efficiency and accountability of decision-making processes through applications that systematically use environmental information. In this regard EIS development seeks to enhance the use of harmonized environmental data sets through improving data availability; facilitating access to data; ensuring that data is internally consistent; and ensuring that different data sets match each other.” .
While the term eco-efficiency was coined by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) in its 1992 publication: "Changing Course". It is based on the concept of creating more goods and services while using fewer resources and creating less waste and pollution. The 1992 Earth Summit endorsed eco-efficiency as a means for companies to implement Agenda 21 in the private sector, and the term has become synonymous with a management philosophy geared towards sustainability.
According to the WBCSD definition, eco-efficiency is achieved through the delivery of "competitively priced goods and services that satisfy human needs and bring quality of life while progressively reducing environmental impacts of goods and resource intensity throughout the entire life-cycle to a level at least in line with the Earth's estimated carrying capacity.” This concept describes a vision for the production of economically valuable goods and services while reducing the ecological impacts of production. In other words eco-efficiency means producing more with less.
In 2002, the book Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things was published by Michael Braungart and William McDonough about the ideas of eco-efficiency and its practical applications.
"Eco-efficiency in the production and consumption of goods and services-environmentally is benign to alleviate the impact of further economic growth on world ecosystems.”
Another term commonly used to describe the changes produced by information technology is the "digital divide" term which refers to the gap between those who benefit from digital technology and those who do not. While the term digital economy; this expression emphasizes the new opportunities created by transforming information into a binary digital code. The digital economy refers to more than the boom and bust cycle of many new ventures that aim at tapping the potential of the Internet for commercial purposes. The more profound effect of ICT is likely to be in improving the efficiency and reach of the mainstream production of goods and services, in both the public and private sectors of the economy. Based on this we can defined the The "global digital divide" is a term used to describe “great disparities in opportunity to access the Internet and the information and educational/business opportunities tied to this access … between developed and developing countries” [8] (Lu 2001 p. 1). Unlike the traditional notion of the "digital divide" between social classes, the "global digital divide" is essentially a geographical division.
Cleary the development of the Information and Knowledge Society shows outstanding differences between individuals, places, cities, countries, and regions, thus leading to the existence of the so-called digital divide. However, how individuals utilize ICT to access equal opportunities differ from country to another and from person to person due to economic, physical, geographical, and other reasons.
Despite the potential benefits that can be offered by Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) developing countries face significant obstacles to ICT access due to a wide variety of reasons including technical, economic, legal and educational factors.
Different degrees of access to technology and connectivity mirror the social and economic divides within countries and between countries. Increase in access to ICTs will not, by itself, reduce poverty or secure freedoms on a sustainable basis. But there is a real danger that lack of access to ICTs, and to the spaces where decisions are made about information and communications infrastructure, content and services, can deepen existing social exclusion and create new forms of exclusion. Academic studies on ICT and society show that there is a range of issues which make clear that the Information Society like any society will have winners and losers, beneficial consequences of ICT and harmful applications. A review of these academic studies shows that there are no simple and straightforward effects of ICT on society. Mostly effects are multiple and contradictory. New positive developments are accompanied by neutral and negative effects.
To benefit the world community, the successful and continued growth of this new information world of today requires global cooperation and harmonization in different business and social domains.
Since there are still governments that are not able yet to fulfill the basic demands to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), then it is even harder to join the ICT revolution for their nations. Thus, the digital divide will remain and the gap between develop and the developing world will continue to be increasing.
For sustainable development (SD) to be achieved, it is a must, to promote the tools of the information society. And in order to have a sustainable information society; it is a must to consider the socio, economic, and the environmental needs, besides the local content of nations.
Then, Governments are exhorted to make greater use of both new and traditional information and communication technologies as a tool for development, as well as are encouraged to implement strategies references to the UN Millennium Development Goals. ICTs can create unknown opportunities for generating sustainable livelihoods. This could be easily achieved by building strategic partnerships among all parties in societies. As governments alone won't be able to achieve this objective.
There is a role for both of the private and non-profit sectors in helping governments to achieve the MDGs -each is dependent on the cooperation of others to accomplish its goals and further enhance sustainable development processes.
Many developed countries' future and economic and social developments depends to an increasing extent on their innovation performance.
Today, research and development (R&D) – intensive industries in some of these developed countries account for more than half of all industrial production. Here comes the role of the civil society and international agencies in raising awareness of the local communities about the important of such kind of businesses that invest more in research and development.
Youth should be aware that ICT is not about providing technology alone to areas devoid of the modern machines and equipments. Simply, ICT is a way of living. Also, young people should know that using ICT is not that hard. ICT could be simple as using pens and papers. ICT is for all; it could be for young and old, it could be for poor and rich.
[1] OECD definition cited by Cynthia Hewitt De Alcántara (2001): The Development Divide in a Digital Age: An Issues Paper, UNRISD, Technology, Business and Society Programme Paper Number 4, August 2001, United Nations Research Institute for Social Development, Geneva , p. 3.
[2] Steve Vosloo: Willard, Terri, and Maja Andjelkovic. A Developing Connection: Bridging the Policy Gap between the Information Society and Sustainable Development.. '1st ed'. Canada: IISD , 2005
[3] Steve Vosloo: Willard, Terri, and Maja Andjelkovic. A Developing Connection: Bridging the Policy Gap between the Information Society and Sustainable Development.. '1st ed'. Canada: IISD , 2005
[4] Romer, P., "Endogenous Technological Change", Journal of Political Economy, 98:5 (1990)
[5] Daniell Bell (1973:175)
[6] Sarrocco, "ELEMENTS AND PRINCIPLES OF THE INFORMATION." www.itu.int. 19 Jul 2007
[7] Diogo André de Assumpçăo, Willard, Terri, and Maja Andjelkovic. A Developing Connection: Bridging the Policy Gap between the Information Society and Sustainable Development.. '1st ed'. Canada: IISD , 2005
[8]Lu, Ming-te (2001). Digital divide in developing countries. Journal of Global Information Technology Management (4:3), pp. 1-4.
[9]Willard, Terri , and Michael Halder. The Information Society and Sustainable Development- Exploring the Linkages. Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada: IISD, 2003.
[10]Information Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa. “About EIS.” http://www.grida.no/eisssa/about/eis.htm
The side session organized by SaciWATERs at the World Water Forum 5 called for generating visible demand for interdisciplinary studies on water in South Asia with a focus on creating a cadre of women water professionals to combat the ‘masculinity’ of current water sector
The side event titled Up-scaling IWRM Education in South Asia: Which boundaries to cross? was organized by SaciWATERs for the Crossing Boundaries Project in Feshane Lale Hall 5 at the World Water Forum 5, Istanbul, Turkey. The session evaluated the current status of water resources education, assess the demand for interdisciplinary water professionals and identify challenges, opportunities, and new initiatives in the realm of higher education for water resources in South Asia through the findings of the study titled “Strengthening IWRM Education in South Asia; Which Boundaries to Cross?”. Prof. S Janakarajan, President, SaciWATERs, welcomed the panel members and the session speakers and briefly described the purpose of the Crossing Boundaries Project, an endeavour of SaciWATERs with six partner institutions in four South Asian countries, to bring a paradigm shift in water resources management education in South Asia. Dr. Peter Mollinga, Convener, SaciWATERs, initiated the session by briefing the participants on the objectives of the study which was to review the progress of the Project’s initiative and to determine whether higher education system in South Asia was responding to the reforms generated by the Project.
Dr. Vishal Narain, Associate Professor, School of Public Policy and Governance, Management Development Institute (MDI), Delhi, further elaborated on the findings of the Study in North India by tracing the changing perceptions of IWRM among water professionals and emphasized the fact that though there is a demand for IWRM water professionals in the Government sector, a visible demand still needs to be created. Dr Nimal Gunawardena, Professor, Post Graduate Institute of Agriculture, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, and Steering Committee Member, Cap-Net, Sri lanka, followed with a brief presentation on the status of the IWRM Education Programme in the Post Graduate Institute of Agriculture, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. Ms. Nazmun Naher Mita, South Asia Water (SAWA) Fellow, Masters in IWRM, Institute of Water and Flood Management (IWFM), Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Dhaka, Bangladesh, shared her personal experience of being one of the first female students to take up the IWRM course in South Asia with the help of SAWA Fellowship provided by the Crossing Boundaries Project.
Following this, the three panelists, Dr. Shahbaz Khan, Chief, Sustainable Water Resources Development & Management Section, Division of Water Sciences, Natural Sciences Sector, UNESCO, Paris, France, Dr. Paul Taylor, Director, Cap-Net, Pretoria, South Africa, and Dr. Joke Muylwijk, Executive Director, Gender & Water Alliance, The Netherlands, provided their comments and insights on the study. Dr. Khan shared his vision of IWRM programme gaining a stronghold in the higher education sector. However he also expressed his disappointment in the Draft Istanbul Ministerial Statement of the World Water Forum 5, 2009 which he regretfully pointed out, focused on the technical aspect of water management ignoring the socio-cultural constraints of implementing a change. He emphasized the urgent need to press the interdisciplinary approach to water resources management. Dr. Paul Taylor, congratulated SaciWATERs and the partners of the Crossing Boundaries Project for the remarkable progress made in promoting IWRM Education in region and further emphasized the need for capacity building of higher level water professionals. Dr. Joke Muylwijk lauded the report but also pointed out the lack of comprehensive gender-segregated data. The participants of the session followed with various questions and comments on the issues of gender, capacity building of not only technocrats but also of social scientists and extending the programme to other countries of South Asia especially Pakistan.
The side session organized by SaciWATERs at the World Water Forum 5 called for generating visible demand for interdisciplinary studies on water in South Asia with a focus on creating a cadre of women water professionals to combat the ‘masculinity’ of current water sector
The side event titled Up-scaling IWRM Education in South Asia: Which boundaries to cross? was organized by SaciWATERs for the Crossing Boundaries Project in Feshane Lale Hall 5 at the World Water Forum 5, Istanbul, Turkey. The session evaluated the current status of water resources education, assess the demand for interdisciplinary water professionals and identify challenges, opportunities, and new initiatives in the realm of higher education for water resources in South Asia through the findings of the study titled “Strengthening IWRM Education in South Asia; Which Boundaries to Cross?”. Prof. S Janakarajan, President, SaciWATERs, welcomed the panel members and the session speakers and briefly described the purpose of the Crossing Boundaries Project, an endeavour of SaciWATERs with six partner institutions in four South Asian countries, to bring a paradigm shift in water resources management education in South Asia. Dr. Peter Mollinga, Convener, SaciWATERs, initiated the session by briefing the participants on the objectives of the study which was to review the progress of the Project’s initiative and to determine whether higher education system in South Asia was responding to the reforms generated by the Project.
Dr. Vishal Narain, Associate Professor, School of Public Policy and Governance, Management Development Institute (MDI), Delhi, further elaborated on the findings of the Study in North India by tracing the changing perceptions of IWRM among water professionals and emphasized the fact that though there is a demand for IWRM water professionals in the Government sector, a visible demand still needs to be created. Dr Nimal Gunawardena, Professor, Post Graduate Institute of Agriculture, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, and Steering Committee Member, Cap-Net, Sri lanka, followed with a brief presentation on the status of the IWRM Education Programme in the Post Graduate Institute of Agriculture, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. Ms. Nazmun Naher Mita, South Asia Water (SAWA) Fellow, Masters in IWRM, Institute of Water and Flood Management (IWFM), Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Dhaka, Bangladesh, shared her personal experience of being one of the first female students to take up the IWRM course in South Asia with the help of SAWA Fellowship provided by the Crossing Boundaries Project.
Following this, the three panelists, Dr. Shahbaz Khan, Chief, Sustainable Water Resources Development & Management Section, Division of Water Sciences, Natural Sciences Sector, UNESCO, Paris, France, Dr. Paul Taylor, Director, Cap-Net, Pretoria, South Africa, and Dr. Joke Muylwijk, Executive Director, Gender & Water Alliance, The Netherlands, provided their comments and insights on the study. Dr. Khan shared his vision of IWRM programme gaining a stronghold in the higher education sector. However he also expressed his disappointment in the Draft Istanbul Ministerial Statement of the World Water Forum 5, 2009 which he regretfully pointed out, focused on the technical aspect of water management ignoring the socio-cultural constraints of implementing a change. He emphasized the urgent need to press the interdisciplinary approach to water resources management. Dr. Paul Taylor, congratulated SaciWATERs and the partners of the Crossing Boundaries Project for the remarkable progress made in promoting IWRM Education in region and further emphasized the need for capacity building of higher level water professionals. Dr. Joke Muylwijk lauded the report but also pointed out the lack of comprehensive gender-segregated data. The participants of the session followed with various questions and comments on the issues of gender, capacity building of not only technocrats but also of social scientists and extending the programme to other countries of South Asia especially Pakistan.
كلمة الحوار ، و المعروفة عملياً ب"سمعنى سُكاتك" أفتكرت موقعها الجغرافي فى حياتنا اليومية ، لأنى من شوية أثارتني مقال للكاتب والروائي: خالد صُبيح عن الحوار وأخلاقيته، وخلتنى أطرح تساؤلات مفتوحة بدون إجابات عن ماهية الحوار.....وكيف أفتقدنا معنى كلمة الحوار أو بالأحري مش موجودة أصلاً فى قاموس حياتنا اليومية
للأسف انعكس جدلنا السياسي وفقر حجتنا على حياتنا اليومية، وأصبح كلامنا خايب وملوش طعم الصراحة
بيقولو الإناء بينضح بما فيه: طيب معنى الكلام ده إننا بقينا فاضيين أوى كدة فعلا..ولا خلصنا الكلام..ولا مبقاش فى نفس..ولا بعنا القضية ..وحبينا نشتري دماغنا...لأننا من الأخر مش عايزين صداع وكلام ملوش لازمة,,,,لأن أول ما بتتقال الكلمة دى ، يبقة علطول كلام نفخ، وفسطائية جوفاء. أو خناقة وضرب نار...حتى ولو كنا بنتكلم عن "ميكي ماوس" فى الاخر هتتقلب بغم
أو إزاى أى كلام بقة فرصة لضرب بعض...زي ما نكون منتظرين مين هيجي تحت ضرسي النهاردة
وكل ما بناخد وندى مع بعض ، كل ما عداد مسك الأخطاء على الواحد اشتغل،يمكن أكتر مثال له فى يومياتنا بيظهر أوى فى علاقة الأزواج والمخطوبين، فتلاقي البنت فى الخطوبة سااااكتة ، علشان ميتمسكش عليها الكلام، والعكس صحيح بعد الجواز ، وكدة يعنى
حتى المثقفين والأدباء والمفكرين كتير مش بحسهم بيفكروا فى آراء بعض لما بيسمعوها بل بيسمعوها علشان يفكروا فى الرد على بعض
خلاص مبقناش عايزين نعرف حتى معنى كلمة الحوار ، فما بالك بالحوار المتمدن، لأننا عارفين كويس إن الحوار المتمدن هو مسألة بعيده عننا..أو لزوم التلفزيونات والكاميرات لبتوع المؤتمرات واللي بيلبسوا بدل وكرفاتات وبس
Me emocioné mucho cuando hace unos días recibí finalmente el link para poder ver el video que grabamos sobre el producto de nuestro II Encuentro AccionArte, que tuvo lugar en la Ciudad de Santiago del Estero, en el marco de las actividades simultáneas de la Sección Infancia y Juventud del 10* Festival Internacional de Cine de Derechos Humanos.
Gracias a todas las personas e instituciones que nos apoyaron en esta iniciativa autogestiva de los miembros de la Red AccionArte y de la Asociación Vientos del Sur.
النهاردة حصلى موقف وخلصت إلى إنى بجد مشش قادرة..حقيقي يعنى امتى بقة بجد يفتحوا باب الهجرة للفضاء
النهاردة كان عندى محاضرة عادي جدا..والمفروض اننا هنتكلم عن "حل النزاع" وفوجئت بي باصاب بحالة اعياء شديدة
وفى صعوبة فى التنفس..وعايزة أبكي بشدة، رغم انى كنت جاية فريش ومفيش أى مشكلة، فى البداية تصورت انها نوع من الحساسية لرائحة بياض فى القاعة المجاورة من زيوت الطلاء
لكن لأ...الحقيقة إنى مع كل كلمة بقيت حاسة انى عايزة اطلع اجري واصرخ زى المجنونة : كفاية ..كفاية بقة..مش قادرة .يا ناس ارحمونى شوية
أفتح التليفزيون: أطفال بتموت..وأجساد بتتحرق لدرجة انى حاسة انى بشم ريحت شوائهم على نار تخازلنا...وانى بشرب الدموع الحرمان المثلجة بنكهة الحرمان من اثر المجاعات
فى الشراع: الناس بتتخانق مع بعض
فى البيت: فوجئت بأخى بيترجانى إنى أخرج مع بابا لأن بابا بدأ يربي دقنه اكتئاب وحزناً على أهل غزة...وهو حاسس بالعجز انه يعمل حاجة ..وهو اللي كان المحارب الشجاع
الولاد الصغيرة والشباب فى سن الورد: صوتها متحشرج وعايزين يحاربو ..ياااه قسوة قلوبنا بدل ما ولدنا يتكلموا عن أحلام المستقبل..بيتكلموا عن الانتقام
الحبيب بيطعن الحبيب...الأب بيقتل أولاده خوفاً على عليهم من غدر الزمان...خلاص مش هقرا الجرنان
أدخل على الفيس بوك: برده.أفوجئ بشباب صغير زي الفل بيقول انه بيعاني من الاكتئاب وعايز يبكي...وبيعانو من الاكتئاب وأمراض القلب...طيب أروح فين...ياربي حقيقي مش قادرة...خلاص انا هاخد اجازة من الفيس بوك..وهروح السينما...أفوجئ بالاعلانات عن افلام حرب جديدة..أنا ناقصة
روحت اشتري مجلة أطفال: الراجل بيبصلي وانا داخلة بمنتهى الثقة على قسم الاطفال والشباب: أفوجئ بحرب العصابات..يا نهار ابيض ...دى مؤامرة بقة
بصي إحنا هنقرفك هتقرفك.
عايزة أخد اجازة..إحنا ليه بنعمل فى بعض كدة..بجد مكنتيش قادرة اتكلم ومخنوقة..الكلمة نفسها مش راضي تطلع..نفسي أسافر واغير جو...بس اروح فين...مش عايزة حد يعيط وحد يشتكي وحد يقول الحقونى واقف عاجزة انى اساعده
كفاية...أنا عايزة اقدم طلب لناسا بفتح باب الهجرة للفضاء
بس إزاى الإجراءات..والتذكرة بكام...وهل هحتاج "خطاب ضمان" أو كفيل" وهل هحتاج أوقع مذكرة تفاهم
طيب وهل فى ا يمنع إن مصر وطنى جبيبي ميكنيش موقع على مذكرة تعاون مع الهئية العالمية لفلك الكون
النهاردة حصلى موقف وخلصت إلى إنى بجد مشش قادرة..حقيقي يعنى امتى بقة بجد يفتحوا باب الهجرة للفضاء
النهاردة كان عندى محاضرة عادي جدا..والمفروض اننا هنتكلم عن "حل النزاع" وفوجئت بي باصاب بحالة اعياء شديدة
وفى صعوبة فى التنفس..وعايزة أبكي بشدة، رغم انى كنت جاية فريش ومفيش أى مشكلة، فى البداية تصورت انها نوع من الحساسية لرائحة بياض فى القاعة المجاورة من زيوت الطلاء
لكن لأ...الحقيقة إنى مع كل كلمة بقيت حاسة انى عايزة اطلع اجري واصرخ زى المجنونة : كفاية ..كفاية بقة..مش قادرة .يا ناس ارحمونى شوية
أفتح التليفزيون: أطفال بتموت..وأجساد بتتحرق لدرجة انى حاسة انى بشم ريحت شوائهم على نار تخازلنا...وانى بشرب الدموع الحرمان المثلجة بنكهة الحرمان من اثر المجاعات
فى الشراع: الناس بتتخانق مع بعض
فى البيت: فوجئت بأخى بيترجانى إنى أخرج مع بابا لأن بابا بدأ يربي دقنه اكتئاب وحزناً على أهل غزة...وهو حاسس بالعجز انه يعمل حاجة ..وهو اللي كان المحارب الشجاع
الولاد الصغيرة والشباب فى سن الورد: صوتها متحشرج وعايزين يحاربو ..ياااه قسوة قلوبنا بدل ما ولدنا يتكلموا عن أحلام المستقبل..بيتكلموا عن الانتقام
الحبيب بيطعن الحبيب...الأب بيقتل أولاده خوفاً على عليهم من غدر الزمان...خلاص مش هقرا الجرنان
أدخل على الفيس بوك: برده.أفوجئ بشباب صغير زي الفل بيقول انه بيعاني من الاكتئاب وعايز يبكي...وبيعانو من الاكتئاب وأمراض القلب...طيب أروح فين...ياربي حقيقي مش قادرة...خلاص انا هاخد اجازة من الفيس بوك..وهروح السينما...أفوجئ بالاعلانات عن افلام حرب جديدة..أنا ناقصة
روحت اشتري مجلة أطفال: الراجل بيبصلي وانا داخلة بمنتهى الثقة على قسم الاطفال والشباب: أفوجئ بحرب العصابات..يا نهار ابيض ...دى مؤامرة بقة
بصي إحنا هنقرفك هتقرفك.
عايزة أخد اجازة..إحنا ليه بنعمل فى بعض كدة..بجد مكنتيش قادرة اتكلم ومخنوقة..الكلمة نفسها مش راضي تطلع..نفسي أسافر واغير جو...بس اروح فين...مش عايزة حد يعيط وحد يشتكي وحد يقول الحقونى واقف عاجزة انى اساعده
كفاية...أنا عايزة اقدم طلب لناسا بفتح باب الهجرة للفضاء
بس إزاى الإجراءات..والتذكرة بكام...وهل هحتاج "خطاب ضمان" أو كفيل" وهل هحتاج أوقع مذكرة تفاهم
طيب وهل فى ا يمنع إن مصر وطنى جبيبي ميكنيش موقع على مذكرة تعاون مع الهئية العالمية لفلك الكون
Twenty-three-year-old Sameh A. Habeeb, a photojournalist based in Gaza City, hardly sleeps. The sounds of the bombings keep him awake.
Habeeb seldom leaves his home for fear of being killed by sporadic bombing, but he has slipped out several times to take pictures and to obtain chilling first hand accounts of daily life ever since the Israeli attacks on Gaza began on Saturday December 27.
During the days, his main priority is to find a place with electricity so he can charge his laptop and connect to the Internet. His goal is to get the word out about what is happening on the ground in Gaza. He works primarily from his phone, calling up a number of sources, from doctors to media contacts to human rights workers.
Habeeb is one of few local journalists in besieged Gaza who are attempting to reach out to international media outlets by way of the Internet and the phone. “I’m not sleeping so you are welcome to call me on this number in the night,” says one of his blog notes.
Aware that mainstream media have fallen short of reporting on the crisis, in part because international reporters have been banned from entering Gaza but also due to political biases, he has been issuing daily reports of the situation. The reports can be found on his blog, on his Facebook account and on arabisto.com. http://www.gazatoday.blogspot.com/
Habeeb was born and raised in Gaza, and has worked in civil society for many years. He has also worked as a journalist at the Ramattan News Agency, a regional media facility based in Gaza. He has offered his journalistic work to various organizations worldwide for free.
The young journalist is currently confined to his home with his three sisters, his two brothers, his parents and his grandmother with barely any food.
During the interview below with the Indypendent, Habeeb speaks from his phone over the sound of persistent bombing that he has grown used to. “Can you hear that one?” he says. Boom. Boom. “That was an F-16 [bomb]. I know how an F-16 sounds. I can distinguish what types of bombs they are.”
His voice trembles a little, but he goes on speaking, even after being asked if he would like a moment to collect himself. “You know that I can speak and that I will speak at whatever hour and in whatever situation,” he says, resolutely.
It is almost 1 a.m. in occupied Palestine.
Zahra Hankir: What is the current humanitarian situation on the ground in Gaza?
Sameh A. Habeeb: If we counted the things that are missing and that we need, we would not finish [this interview]. There is no bread. There is no sugar. There is no gas. There is no fuel. There is no electricity and there is no wood. There is no cement. Everything you can imagine, we do not have. And this was a problem that started with the blockade and that has accentuated since the attacks began. It was preplanned. It is not only a matter of a rocket being fired here and there. It is a strategy that Israel has followed.
As for daily life, and the humanitarian situation, Israel is telling the world that they are not allowing a humanitarian crisis [to unfold] in Gaza. [Israeli foreign minister] Tzipi Livni is a big fool, because she is trying to convince the international community and those working on the Palestinian cause that Israel is helping with the humanitarian situation. But on the ground, she is allowing a big catastrophe to continue. Gaza was in need before the siege. During the siege, Israel was allowing some 40 trucks carrying basic commodities (cans, goods, etc) in. Now, at the time while the war is taking place, they say they are allowing commodities to move in, but they are allowing nothing in! Thirteen trucks with commodities are not enough for a population of a million and a half. They say they opened the crossing, and that everything is okay, but this is a big lie.
Some houses do not have water, as power is needed. Israel has targeted many wells of water in the middle of the Gaza strip, and a well that was in the north. Add to that the coastal authorities were saying that Israel was not allowing them to bring materials to purify water…
Tomorrow, I will be visiting one of the doctors at al-Shifa hospital to investigate the types of weapons that are being used.
As for the medical situation, since the beginning of the siege, around 270 people died because they were not able to leave Gaza for treatment, or were not able to get medicine during the blockade. Medical machines and equipment were also not available, as well as spare parts. Today, there is a very big problem in hospitals because of this. Hospital management has called medical students in their senior, second or third level to help at the hospitals.
ZH: What has been the general attitude of Palestinians in Gaza towards Hamas?
SAH: The main concern for the Palestinian people now is how to find food, how to light candles, how to keep warm. They do not think much about politics. Generally, support for Hamas is still there, and the decisive battle would be proving whether Hamas will have support or not as it still did not [attack] “hot” areas.
ZH: What is your current living situation?
SAH: I live in Gaza City, two kilometers from the Israeli borders. Since the beginning of the blockade, which was imposed 20 months ago, and since the beginning of the war, my life has been turned upside down. There is no gas. No power. No Internet. I charge my laptop by going here and there to get Internet, but generally, there is no fuel, no gasoline, and no oil. In the humanitarian aspect, we do not have anything now. Today I wanted to go to the market to bring home some food. Thank God, I did not go; there was a massacre from artillery shells. Israelis hit the market — the busiest market in Gaza.
Imagine a life with no Internet. No power. No food. Confined to your house with no work. I spend a lot of time on my bed covering myself with blankets because it is so cold. There is no heating. I think. I think. I think.
ZH: How have you managed to carry on work as a journalist, balancing demands of the job while keeping yourself and your family safe?
SAH: It is too hazardous to go out whenever I want to. I sometimes go out to take photos, but I’m generally scared to go out because they [the Israelis] restrict all kinds of journalism.
As for the things I do, I have my laptop that I charge from time to time. I visit friends who have power in other areas. I sometimes go some kilometers away to get power.
I charge the laptop and then I call friends to get their news. I have sources in various areas. I call doctors to learn of what is happening in the hospitals. I listen to the radio stations. I have an amalgam of sources, really. And I make sure to write and report them at the end of the day. I have my own sources, as I previously worked in journalism for one year, and have sources in the humanitarian field and in the media world, especially with Ramattan.
ZH: How has the Israeli military treated journalists?
SAH: Since November 1, 2008, Israel was not allowing journalists to go into Gaza, or any international organization officers. It was totally closed, and this is part of the Israeli media blackout. We have a huge media blackout in our work, in addition to conditions of panic and fear. We don’t have the freedom to report and write. We are not being accessed by many international media outlets. People have tried to call many times but have not been getting through; this shows that Israel has destroyed part of the telecommunication for mobiles. Only landlines are working. Besides, we don’t have access to Internet, which is crucial.
ZH: Do you feel that there is a lot of pressure on local journalists to get the truth out?
SAH: I feel that my country needs national human resources. I don’t depend on other media sources, I have my own way. Yes, it’s almost like a burden to report in such harsh conditions. But I still do it. I report for the people.
ZH: How do the Palestinians perceive the response of the Arab states?
SAH: Perceptions are generally still the same. We’re not too aware of what is happening around us [in the Arab world]. But Palestinians do not depend on outside powers. Some here do feel that the Arabs played a part in besieging Gaza, specifically Egypt, and the issue of the tunnels and the Rafah Crossing, which is still closed and [Mubarak] is not opening it. Also, there are other Arab regimes that are not helping the Palestinians and are not working enough. It is clear that the Palestinians were frustrated with Arab countries, particularly at the beginning of this war, when they [the Arab nations] could not even agree or set a time for when to hold an emergency Arab summit.
ZH: How have things changed since the ground operation began?
SAH: Before now, we thought that military operation would end by Sunday. Now it is harder for us to adapt to the new reality [the ground invasion]. We are confined to our houses, are not able to go to the market to bring supplies, we have no access to banks. All our assets are being paralyzed by this situation.
ZH: Would you say Israel is targeting Hamas areas specifically?
SAH: No. Hamas militants are still firing rockets! That is still going on. The number of those innocent civilians who have died debunks arguments that the Israeli army is not allowing civilians to be casualties in the Gaza strip. We can tell what type of rockets they are using, and prohibited weapons. There are cluster bombs. The artillery shells were exploding before reaching the ground.
ZH: What media are you following, if any?
SAH: While we had power, I was following CNN, but I knew that it is not so neutral. As for now, we only have local radio stations.
ZH: Would you say that this is genocide?
SAH: Yes. The big number of victims indicates that this is genocide. Israel says it is attacking Hamas, but on the ground, we are seeing that most of those killed are civilians. The world has to realize and has to know that Israel is not doing as it says — fighting Hamas and terror — and that this is part of the media blackout of Israel. As the days pass, the crisis will become much worse. More people will have less access to basic needs.
To get to daily notes from Gaza I invite you to visit the blog of my friend Sameh Akram Habeeb, A Photojournalist, Humanitarian & Peace Activist in Gaza Strip.
