IBB’s 2025 Vision in Action
Investing in people and building solutions from the ground up—real change starts here. Harnessing the power of ideas to drive meaningful transformation is at the core of our ethos.
Dear Friends and Supporters of IBB,
We hit the ground running the moment the clock struck midnight on January 1st, 2025. As we approach eight years of IBB (time flies!), it’s the perfect time to reaffirm what we stand for: reshaping the future of the Middle East through ideas and action—one person at a time. At our core, we believe in agency, in the power of individuals to take charge of their own destinies, in creating real, lasting change from the ground up.
At IBB, we empower individuals and communities across the Middle East with the knowledge, skills, and resources to build a freer, more prosperous future. Access to modern Ideas that transform and build societies. Ideas drive change. And the best solutions come from people on the ground—not bureaucratic institutions. That’s why our work follows a three-tiered approach that reaches millions, strengthens political capability, and fuels grassroots innovation.
Tier 1: Spreading Knowledge & Defending Free Speech
Launched in 2018, House of Wisdom 2.0 (HoW 2.0) is the largest independent, pro-freedom digital education platform in the MENA region. Inspired by Baghdad’s legendary 8th-century knowledge center, it’s our way of rebuilding a golden age—one that arms people with the tools to push back against extremism and darkness.
HoW 2.0 delivers unbiased, uncensored knowledge on critical thinking, free markets, science, and the values that drive real prosperity.
By the Numbers:
55,487 pieces of educational content produced
530.6 million people reached on social media
193.6 million minutes of video content watched
8.9 million followers across platforms
539,645 digital and physical books and magazines distributed
We’re competing with giants, punching above our weight, and doing it for a fraction of the cost.
Tier 2: Strengthening Political Capability & Institutional Presence
Ideas don’t change the world unless they are made into policy. That’s why we work to turn principles into action, building informed political coalitions that push for real reforms—making it easier to start a business, strengthening free speech laws, and cutting through red tape.
Having a seat at the table matters. If we don’t shape the future, someone else will.
Through strategic collaborations and targeted electoral training, IBB is building a pro-liberal political landscape in Iraq and beyond. We’re training people in electoral laws, communication strategies, and political engagement—laying the groundwork for fairer, more competent governance.
Tier 3: Grassroots Innovation & The Innovation Hub
Ideas are only as good as the action behind them. That’s why we don’t just talk about change—we fund it.
The Innovation Hub provides microgrants to bold thinkers who are building real solutions, cutting through bureaucracy and corruption, and creating jobs that stop the region’s brain drain.
If the best and brightest leave, who will be left to rebuild?
Why The Innovation Hub Matters:
Jobs = Agency – Economic freedom leads to peace and prosperity,
Be at the table, not on the menu – We fund local, everyday people—not the elite connected to bloated aid programs.
Action over theory – We prove our ideas work by backing those who bring them to life.
Inspired by Tyler Cowen’s Emergent Ventures, our model finds and funds high-impact projects in social enterprise, education, culture, and political reform—showing the world that pro-liberty ideas aren’t just theories. They work.
Building a Future of Freedom & Prosperity
This is how we reshape the Middle East: spreading knowledge, strengthening political movements, and funding grassroots innovation. We’re not waiting for change. We’re making it happen.
Join us in creating a freer, more prosperous future—because the best way to predict the future is to build it.
Faisal Al Mutar
Founder and President, Ideas Beyond Borders
Why this interior design company is funding underground schools in Afghanistan
The Taliban forbids girls from going to school past 6th grade. The Citizenry brand is supporting Ideas Beyond Border’s Underground Schools initiative as women and girls attend school in secret locations:
After the U.S. left Afghanistan, Al Mutar, who splits time between the U.S. and the UAE, began receiving messages from journalists in Afghanistan saying that there were families and teachers who wanted to defy the ban on education and start creating a network of underground schools. There are now many brave communities across the country that are putting thousands of girls through school. “They were taking incredible risks,” Al Mutar says. “Parents were donating their houses so that girls could continue their education.”
Ideas Beyond Borders wanted to support this work, so it sent a team to vet these schools. It then served as a link between these schools and the outside world, helping to find individuals and companies who would be willing to fund these underground schools.
Civil War to Civil Discourse: Lessons from the Middle East for Syria | Faisal Al Mutar
“Supporting civil society is essential in transforming conflict into collaboration and discourse into action. There has never been any successful model in which polarization and hate actually have produced something positive."
The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is thrilled to announce three upcoming College Freedom Forum (CFF) events this spring:
In collaboration with Tufts’ Institute for Global Leadership, HRF will host a full day of inspiring talks and engaging discussions as part of Tufts’ annual student symposium on the theme “Democracy on the Brink.” Faisal will be a speaker during the event:
📍Location: Breed Memorial Hall, Tufts University
🗓️ Date: Friday, Feb. 28, 2025
⏰!Time: 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
To book Faisal as a speaker, click here.
Our documentaries on Iraqi minorities are now available and are being broadcast on Zagros TV, a prominent local channel in Iraq. The series consists of 13 episodes, each focusing on one of the thirteen ethnic and religious minority groups in Iraq. An episode is broadcast every Wednesday. An English version of the documentary will be screened at the Center for Global Affairs at New York University on February 5, 2025.
In addition to the documentaries, the content has been adapted into articles in French, English, and Arabic. These articles were authored by Dida Faridoon, the Head of the Kurdistan Information Network, a partner of Ideas Beyond Borders (IBB) responsible for producing the documentaries. The articles were edited by Hussein Ibrahim, IBB’s Country Director in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
The English and French versions of the articles have been published by the French Research Center on Iraq.
U.S. Policy on Iraq Under Trump & the Future of Iraqi Militias
Faisal speaks with Hussam Alhaj of Alsumaria TV, an Iraqi journalist and legal researcher who hosts one of the most well-known political shows In Iraq, advocating for a nuanced understanding of Iraq's political landscape and the pitfalls of sectarian politics.
“Iraq is increasingly viewed not as a sovereign decision-maker, but as an extension of Iran’s strategic interests. The U.S. and even European governments now see Baghdad as part of Tehran’s orbit, rather than as an independent actor. Whether through direct U.S. pressure or indirect consequences, the space for armed factions operating outside state control is shrinking. The days of Iraq being a gray zone for militias are numbered.”
Facebook’s Betrayal of Progress in the Arab World
Faisal Al Mutar and Ahmed Alrayyis write about the irony of "fact-checking" and Facebook’s long-overdue turn toward progress:
Now, Zuckerberg’s announcement to end fact-checking—framed as a move away from “too many mistakes and too much censorship”—acknowledges some of the platform’s past failures. While we welcome this pivot, it is impossible to ignore the harm already done. The delay in addressing these issues has stymied progress, allowing misinformation and regressive ideologies to gain a foothold, while voices promoting reason and liberty have struggled to reach their audiences.
Facebook’s past moderation policies often seemed to ignore the realities of the region. By prioritizing voices tied to ideologies rejecting critical thought, they undermined the ideals that empower societies to thrive. This was not merely a policy failure but a failure of principle. Social media platforms should champion free inquiry and the exchange of ideas, yet Facebook’s actions have too often done the opposite.
Innovator Spotlight: Walaa Fayez
In the heart of Al Diwaniyah, Walaa Fayez’s library offers a space for learning, reflection, and community connection in southern Iraq:
Fayez, 34, launched his public library in Al Diwaniyah in 2017. The southern Iraqi city had few bookshops and no public libraries, and he wanted to create a way for people to access information. Since then, the library has evolved into a literary salon where people read, seek refuge, and discuss new ideas.
“People come to get away from the challenges of daily life,” Fayez says, describing the mixed crowd of children, adults, and students that frequent the space. He also runs a small bookshop in the library, which often operates at a loss because prices in Al Diwaniyah are lower than in Baghdad, where he sources the books.
Translator Spotlight: Abeer Issa
Abeer Issa’s voice carries the weight of a homeland left behind. At 30 years old, she has lived through the transformation of Syria from a place of rich culture and history to one scarred by war and repression. Now a translator for Ideas Beyond Borders and its Bayt Al-Hikma 2.0 project, Issa reflects on her journey—one that spans years of conflict, escape, and finding a new purpose in exile:
“In this stifling environment, I sought a small place where I could express myself and my identity, discuss my views, and share my perspectives—a place that would help me mature my thoughts, broaden my horizons, and hone my talents. Most importantly, a place where I felt I could make a difference. Ideas Beyond Borders opened its doors entirely, hosting me and offering me a chance to be part of its developmental and intellectual journey that empowers youth and supports their rights to freedom and equality, aiming to make the impossible possible.” - Abeer Issa
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