Abu-Ghazaleh Tackles the Future of the Internet at ArabNet 2010

Abu-Ghazaleh Tackles the Future of the Internet at ArabNet 2010

Mr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh

We, as businesses, governments and societies, need to provide the means for individuals to learn, dream, work and create – Abu-Ghazaleh

BEIRUT - March 28, 2010 - The ArabNet 2010, the first international conference for the Arab web industry, opened its doors on Thursday under the patronage of HE the President of the Council of Ministers of Lebanon Mr. Saad Hariri at Habtoor Grand Hotel in Beirut.

Mr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, Chairman of the UN Global Alliance for ICT and Development (GAID) and chairman and CEO of Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Organization (TAG-Org) in his keynote speech tackled key issues related to the industry.

“I will not attempt to lecture to this knowledgeable leadership and group of experts. Instead I will try to pose some questions and to answer them from my own perspective,” he addressed the attendees.

In his speech, Mr. Abu-Ghazaleh underlined the future of Internet, the Growth in Internet Content, How to measure this content, Multilingualism of the Internet and How to advance MDG achievements.

“GAID is overseeing many productive programs. One of which is developing, with the blessing of the UN Secretary General, a matrix of “ICT 4 MDG” providing guidance on ICT as enablers for reaching the MDG goals, and on barriers to ICT access, such that we may create active plans which may be used by individual countries. This should also produce a map for ICT innovation. This project, which I chair, is led by H.E. the UN Secretary General as our Honorary Chair,” Mr. Abu-Ghazaleh said.

In addition, he highlighted the means to harness ICTs, saying “Today almost everyone is aware of the economic potential of ICT investment. However the key to success in the broad picture is to remember that when we discuss ICTs we are really talking about the facilitation of human creativity and entrepreneurial innovation. We, as businesses, governments and societies, need to provide the means for individuals to learn, dream, work and create.”

Other topics including uses for ICT, the Global Divide, the broadband potential, how to motivate innovation in IT, Arab Knowledge Societies, in addition to ICT 4D.
Moreover Mr. Abu-Ghazaleh called for more focus on R & D in the Arab world sating that according to the Arab Human Development Report, R&D by Arab countries in the area of agriculture and food production is “insignificant”.
“So if the Arab world lags the rest of the world, is it a wonder? May be its time we reexamine our priorities. One organization that is aiming to do so is ASREN. The Arab Scientific Research and Education Network (ASREN ) is being born as an independent and not-for-profit organization with a mission to implement, manage and extend sustainable Pan-Arab e-Infrastructures dedicated for Research and Education connecting national research and education networks (NRENs) in the Arab countries," he said.

The event organized by the International Business Alliance Group (IBAG) and held under the title "Trends and Opportunities in Arab Web Business" brought together leaders from across the MENA, Europe and Silicon Valley to discuss cutting-edge trends and emerging opportunities.

Through pitch sessions, the conference features the region's brightest ideas and most promising Internet start-ups, and connects them with the Internet ecosystem: incubators, angel investors, venture capitalists, established Internet companies, NGOs and influential bloggers.

ArabNet is one of the first events in the region to be fully live-tweeted and live-streamed, allowing interested individuals around the world to benefit from the insights of the conference speakers, and providing the entrepreneurs pitching their ideas and startups with tremendous exposure

Arab American Painter Opens Online Gallery

Arab American Painter Opens Online Gallery

24 March 2010 – J F Dagher, Lebanese born painter, opens an online gallery selling original art and giclee reproductions.

The paintings of J F Dagher reflect life and living in the Arab culture. “I really wanted to portray the Arab culture, to help preserve aspects of it, and to give others insight into this incredibly complex and rich life we live.”

J F Dagher has been painting for over 10 years and in looking for a way for his work to be seen by many, found the online site Fine Art America.

Fine Art America gives artists a medium to display their original works, and provides high quality Giclee reproductions.

“Many friends and family would want reproductions of the same painting, as of course the imagery resonated with them. I was pleased to find Fine Art America’s reproductions are high quality and still express the emotions of the original works. “

Available now in the online gallery are reproductions of “Laundry Day” an image of a bombed worn out building, the only sign of life being the laundry strung on the line.

“Beit Nahas” a reproduction of a typical home. “That place where so many of our memories took place”.

“Temple Mount” a composite of those symbols representing the three great religions of the Middle East.

And of course J F Dagher’s famous pony paintings representing the great beauty of Middle Eastern tribal rugs.

To see all of J F Dagher’s art visit his Fine Art America site at www.joe-dagher.fineartamerica.com

The artist may be reached by email at jfdagher@hotmail.com

For images to reprint or interviews with the artist contact jfdagher@hotmail.com

Truth comes out in Census lies: Doesn't matter if you write in ARAB -- you WON'T be counted as Arab

Census to Count Arabs as White, Despite Write-In Campaign

New America Media , News Report, Suzanne Manneh, Posted: Mar 25, 2010

The Census Bureau says it doesn’t matter if Arab Americans write their race in on their Census questionnaire. 

Even if they check the “other” box and write in “Arab,” as many community groups advocate, the Census will still count them as racially white.

“Anyone from Europe, North Africa or the Middle East [will be classified] as white,” said Roberto Ramirez, chief of the ethnicity and ancestry branch at the Census Bureau.

Ramirez said that will be the case no matter how many people write in “Arab,” because the Census Bureau is required by law to use racial categories determined by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and those categories do not include Arab.

Advocates for including Arab as a race say they will press on with their write-in campaign however. Census regulations provide that any organization can pay for its own special tabulation providing a formal count of write-ins.

“As with any write-in option, it is not comprehensive enough to be published as a ‘count,’ but it will provide us with important trends and estimates of the proportion of people of Arab ancestry who do not identify with the white race classification,” said Helen Samhan, the executive director of the Arab American Institute, which plans to order a special count.

“That is a start for working with the Census Bureau to research necessary changes in the way race and ethnicity are measured,” she added.

A spokesperson for the Office of Management and Budget told New America Media that current racial standards for the census will be reevaluated after the 2010 census, in time for the next one in 2020.

Click here to read the full report

-- Ray Hanania

www.RadioChicagoland.com