Everyday over 380 million people across the MENA region are confronted with a slew of adverse conditions. Their world may appear ever more dystopic, yet they have not given up. On the contrary, communities in MENA continuously adapt to their changing environments. What lessons can we learn about resilience from their odysseys? And what can the international community do to empower them in their adaptive journeys?
Narratives are the big stories of our time that help make sense of the world around us. Family values, gender roles, politics, national pride, immigration, war, education, individual identity,… everything surrounding us is given a place within a larger story from which flows a sense of meaning and order. Narratives are designed to deal with social complexity. … More Narratives for resilience
While recent news has heralded the launch of Jordan’s largest solar farm to date, a much more significant transformation has begun to sweep across the country. Jordan stands out in the Middle East and North Africa for creating and beginning to implement a national resilience strategy. In response to the Syrian refugee crisis, the government of Jordan … More Moving towards energy resilience within Jordan’s refugee crisis
The socioeconomic integration of immigrants and refugees in Europe’s host communities is a persistent but growing problem. Although migration to Europe is by no means a new phenomenon, the unprecedented wave of migration has translated into a polarizing context of exclusion and division. Societies are in need of fresh ideas to cast away the prevailing … More Career mentoring for social impact
In 2013, I started a communications and marketing consulting business while living in Cairo, Egypt—shortly after the summer’s revolution brought a new regime to power. What I struggled with most, in terms of starting my business, was finding reliable wifi connections. Amidst widespread power outages, I relied on three separate connections: TE Data wired internet provided … More Creating entrepreneurial networks for the future
Many impressions come to mind when thinking of the Arab Spring, but a unanimous image remains the thousands of citizens across the Arab world that took to their squares and streets. Whether it was Tahrir Square in Egypt, the Pearl Roundabout in Bahrain, the main square of Sana’a, or the Avenue Habib Bourguiba in Tunis, … More Towards resilient public space
When I attended the 2016 An Event Apart (AEA) web design conference in Boston a few months ago, I didn’t expect any of the presenters to touch upon my personal experiences in the Middle East. For those of you who are reading my posts for the first time, I lived and worked in Cairo, Egypt and Amman, … More How resilient web design can help Syrian refugees
Here is an idea: A region made up of empowered, productive, and cohesive communities that celebrate diversity and contribute to local and global sustainable development.
Sounds good, but how do we get there? Let’s start here. … More Resilient MENA 101
“If given the necessary energy, private organizations around the world can make a huge difference in helping the refugee crisis,” said TripAdvisor.com CEO Steve Kaufer during an interview that aired on American business channel CNBC. In this article, we look at examples of how companies can combine refugee assistance with core business objectives. … More Companies can help themselves while helping refugees
Climate-caused, wholesale displacement of communities is now a fact of life. Will the governments of Africa and Asia be able to implement wholesale resettlement of climate-vulnerable communities when they still struggle to deliver basic services? Is the international system of sovereign governments prepared to coordinate the largest cross-border forced migration in human history? … More Business in the time of climate displacement
Resilient MENA 