IBB Bulletin: Looking Back, Moving Forward
Celebrating remarkable milestones from 2024 as we prepare for the year ahead
Dear Friends and Supporters of IBB,
As we prepare to bid ma’ssalaame to 2024, we are filled with immense gratitude and pride for the monumental achievements we've accomplished together. Despite escalating conflicts in the region, we’ve made encouraging strides by harnessing the power of knowledge, innovation, and unwavering determination. We faced every challenge head-on, and our team is energized to continue fighting for a free and prosperous Middle East in 2025. Let's take a look at some of this year’s milestones:
The launch of our first book, The Untold Stories of the Middle East. Lauded by Steven Pinker as "an inspiring reminder that the hunger for ideas cannot be repressed even in the most repressive societies,” the book presents powerful testimonies of the changemakers creating prosperous communities and thriving small businesses through the Innovation Hub—combatting the narrative that the region is a lost cause. To date, the program has supported more than 250 businesses and created 35,000 jobs.
Faisal's visionary TED Talk at TEDNext in Atlanta challenged conventional approaches to international aid and development—and offered a better way forward. (The talk will be published online in mid-February.)
Our Underground Schools program in Afghanistan has received well-deserved recognition and support this year: our partners, who courageously educate women and girls despite the Taliban’s tightening restrictions, were honored with the prestigious Axel Springer Award for Courage, while The Citizenry selected the program as its annual Black Friday Fund recipient, providing $30,000 to ensure continued access to vital education for the women and girls we serve.
Faisal’s honorary doctorate from Whittier College, as well as his appointment as a Non-Resident Fellow at the Program on Extremism at George Washington University, affirming his leadership and vision for the organization and solidifying him as a trusted expert in this field.
Our new website launch, withstanding over 136,000 malicious attacks, demonstrates our growing influence.
Expanding our reach to 8.6 million supporters and partners across the MENA region.
Faisal's impactful keynote speech, “From Civil War to Civil Discourse,” at the Oslo Freedom Forum, sharing his journey and vision for a Middle East people wish to visit rather than escape.
The success of our House of Wisdom 2.0 program. In the past year alone, we've reached 200 million people worldwide with tools for critical thinking and translated thousands of vital resources into Arabic, Pashto, and Kurdish. The program finally has its own brand-new website. Available now in Arabic and in A.I.-translated English!
Faisal's receipt of the Ellis Island Honors Society's Beacon Award. The award recognizes immigrants to the United States who are not only successful and influential in business, politics, and culture but also deeply engaged in philanthropy.
Our participation in influential events like the Antigua Forum, the World Policy Conference, the Global Free Speech Summit, The Copenhagen Democracy Summit, and LibertyCon expanded our network and impact. IBB was featured in Forbes, Reason Magazine, and Globalnyt.
These achievements would not have been possible without your support. As we look ahead to 2025, we remain committed to our mission of fostering critical thinking, promoting knowledge, and empowering individuals across the Middle East. Your contributions have been instrumental in our success, enabling us to continue our work under challenging circumstances.
We are deeply thankful for your trust and partnership as we strive to create a more free, prosperous, and peaceful region. As we embark on a new year, we invite you to continue this journey with us. Together, we can build on these successes and have an even greater impact in 2025. Our sincere hope is that one day, IBB will cease to exist because there will no longer be a need for us. With every donation, you are making it possible for us to—one day—achieve that goal.
With heartfelt appreciation and optimism for the future,
Reid Newton
Lead Editor, Ideas Beyond Borders
Faisal Saeed Al Mutar at the German Parliament
Faisal addresses the German Parliament, urging them to take a proactive stance in supporting democracy and reform across the Middle East. Faisal emphasizes the importance of seizing this unique moment for change, particularly in countries like Iraq, Lebanon, and Iran. He outlines actionable recommendations, including strengthening state institutions, supporting independent civil society, bolstering liberal media, encouraging private sector growth, reforming aid programs to reduce corruption, supporting liberal political parties, and ensuring free and uncensored internet access for all citizens. Faisal also highlights the impact of influential voices like Dr. Saleh Al Mashnouq in Lebanon, who champions unity and democracy.
To book Faisal as a speaker, click here.
Behind the Veil
There is talk of a new law that will fully bar female reporters from appearing on-screen. If this happens, the channel will switch to using the voices of female hosts off-screen. “We want to carry on because, as women, we should have equal rights to men,” Nazhand says. She has seen many women, herself included, hurt by the rulings of the Taliban regime. “The more limitations placed on women, the more motivated I am to find a way to include them in every field, beginning with the media,” she says.
“My dream is that one day, women will be able to work in every field again without any kind of discrimination. I want to continue this work at any cost, I will never let the female voice down.”
Innovator Spotlight: The Lotus Flower
The Lotus Flower is among a handful of organizations continuing to provide services to refugees and IDPs in camps and host communities across Kurdistan. Set up by former child genocide survivor Taban Shoresh, they support women and girls affected by conflict and provide the tools they need to rebuild their lives. An Innovation Hub grant has helped to support their latest project, the Women’s Business Incubation program, which empowers home-based female entrepreneurs with financial grants that allow them to foster sustainable growth of their businesses.
