The young Iraqis promoting evolutionary theory and rational thought to save Iraq
In the midst of the conflicts that Baghdad in particular, and the rest of Iraq in general, has suffered over the years, many grassroots movements advocating positive social change have arisen. Whether they are aid campaigns or movements that lobby for certain rights, gauging their impact remains difficult. What one can be sure of though, is that activism and advocating for a civil, liberal society is ongoing in Iraq - and in some creative ways.
One of the most unique groups in this category is made up of young men and women who are fierce promoters of science as a partial answer to their community’s sectarian conflicts. The group is called Real Sciences and works together with another associated group called the Iraqi Translation Project. Both groups have their own websites and they also have popular Facebook pages – boasting over 130,000 likes altogether - and they regularly post translations of popular scientific articles on everything from why human beings enjoy running to how cavemen used their hearing to, most recently, the apparent presence of waterways on the planet Mars.
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Why did it take so long to start caring about Syria?
These days it is nearly impossible to watch mainstream news or scroll through a newsfeed without hearing about the refugee crisis and the humanitarian disaster that is Syria; everyone has heard a story or seen a picture of a Syrian refugee family, if only because they follow Humans of New York.
But this was not always the case. The civil war in Syria and its devastating effects have continued relentlessly over the past four years. Yet, save for the occasional headline or expose about ISIS brides, it was largely ignored.
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'CairoLapse' celebrates Egypt's chaotic beauty
For many tourists, Egypt’s chaotic beauty is hard to miss: from the constant car horns to the bustling markets and overly welcoming people. Yet, for many living in Egypt, this beauty is often forgotten.
Aiming to challenge this, Hisham Moll created “CairoLapse”, a short film that explores the liveliness of Cairo, its culture, heritage and people. Ahead of the short film’s release (the video above is a trailer), Egyptian Streets spoke with Hisham Moll about why he made “CairoLapse”.
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