Latest blog posts by amar-naik

Egypt - Social Media Referrendum Yet to Satisy Egyptians?

20 12 2012 23:50:06 +0000

After 16 months, Egyptian military council transitioned to civilian government. The Voters had an option to choose between two faces of the past: Ahmed Shafik, a former air force general and stalwart of former President Hosni Mubarak who promised to restore order and thwart the rise of an Islamist theocracy, or Mohamed Morsi, a veteran of the once-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood campaigning as a defender of the revolution against a return of the Mubarak-era autocracy.

It was the first time a new leader was being elected in Egypt’s history by the people. US and other countries welcomes this decision. The long ruler Hosni Mubarak was remove after a revolution a new change and future was in the hands of the people. Below is a video of interview done by Francesco Rulli with Ambassador Mohamed Sacirbey.

The US which was a supporter of Mubarak earlier, acknowledged people movement and supported the Egyptian people choice to go for a new elected leader for moving towards a genuine democracy.

But though the Egyptian Revolution may be over, or perhaps more accurately it is trying to find the way to move ahead to genuine freedom, democracy and openness. Still there are many forces pulling Egypt right and left, forward and backward. Below is a video on the Conference on Media Freedom jointly sponsored by Egyptian, United Nations (UN Alliance of Civilizations) and other international institutions (Amre Moussa of Arab League speaks + Anna Lindh Foundation) that was held this week in Cairo to further development and standards for free media.

Still the solution to people revolution seems to be distant. Recently when people across world where mourning the deaths of innocent children in American and China, Egyptian where voting for a constitution. The violent protests before this voting was reminiscent of the days during ouster of 'Hosni Mubarak'. Even the Egyptian military which played a major role in transitioning from Mubarak to the new government requested people to maintain peace.

After the new government was formed, the run-up to the referendum on a new draft constitution has been marked by often violent protests in which at least eight people have died. The Muslim Brotherhood called for the rally after a violent confrontation between Islamists and the liberal.The constitution is backed by President Mohamed Mursi and his Islamist allies as a vital step in Egypt's transition to democracy almost two years after the fall of Hosni Mubarak.The opposition, facing defeat in the referendum, has called for a "no" vote against a document it views as leaning too far towards Islamism.

Only less than third of voters turned out for the first stage of the referendum on a constitution needed for Egypt's future.the turnout for this election was the second lowest since Mubarak's fall in last year's popular uprising. The low turnout also raises the question whether Egyptians are tired of the various uprisings that has characterized the country since the ouster of Mubarak's.But the biggest question is that people who had done such a popular uprizing themselves are not united. It is hard to say why? But surely Egyptians would not like a failed or unstable country. They have to rise to make their country more stable.

Israel launches Social Media Bomb on Gaza

04 12 2012 00:04:02 +0000

Last month People across the world work up to a new offensive that started in Palestine. There were war cries with both side accusing each other. But as the ceasefire broken by Egypt was announced , both sides claimed victory by harnessing power of social networks. It sounds strange as it might look like since the war was fought between two rivals who are not matches. On one side we had the conventional might of the Israel Defense Forces and the rocket-firing units of Hamas’s armed wing.

In the past the offensives were rarely shares by the two fighting units. But during this war both side used social networks extensively to bombard opposition claims and promoted the own versions of the battle progress. It was a strange battleground for two long fighting countries but probably the Arab revolution and power of social media made both the enemies to have a dedicated social media warfare media besides the regular ammunitions.

Four year ago when the war had happened, Israeli military was keeping the journalist away but during the recent conflict social medias followers got the story sooner. Thanks to all the people dedicated by Israeli war team who covered the event as it happened. The war games of the Israel Defense Force have definitely been one of the unique strategies tested in modern warfare.

The idea of war as a online game is not new, but Israel's approach during the recent conflict attempted to calm fears about their attacks on Gaza and at the same time igniting the emotion over Israeli deaths. All this happened bypassing the traditional Western media, who always would have presented their own interpretation of the war.

Not only did Israeli Army succeed in its warfare but also the opposition forces have used the social media extensively. This days so called videos of aggression goes viral. Be it the execution of Libya ruler or the hanging of Sadaam Husain. According to stat published by a leading paper Israeli Army twitter has more than 200,000 followers, compared to the 40,000 following Hamas's military on the social network.

Both the teams have been innovative in promoting their messages. Besides this actual ground offensive, both the sides have been trying to hack each other websites. Israeli authorities themselves say that a staggering 44 million hacking attempts have been made since the latest war. Most hacking attempts have been made on defense-related sites. As a ceasefire is announced and both sides claim victory in Israel and Gaza, the Israeli military's online propaganda offensive continues. It needs to be seen what innovative strategies worlds military adopt from this conflict.

But for sure everybody understand the power of Social media and the social media is turning out to be a powerful gun that can be operated using the keyboard. It needs to be seen if this trend continues and how the buzz shapes the future warfare.

Below is a video which shows Israel's President Shimon Peres addressing a news conference about the prospects of peace with the Palestinians, the Goldstone Report (& Goldstone's "reconsideration") and recent Gaza conflict.

Below is another video which talks about the recent the Palestine-Israel impasse moving into a dangerous stall and even the "2 state solution" is at risk.

Watch more videos on my web tv

'Social Media a Day ' Can cure any illness

03 12 2012 22:54:40 +0000

Across the world parents are worried about Social Media addiction for their kids. On the other side government across the worlds are trying to block social media messages because they can create a movement which has now toppled many middle east government. But in the middle of all this fuss, i read one interesting news on a research study which is focussing on using Social Media as a Cure.

A study led by Kansas State University research team is exploring how social media can be used as a tool to reduce and prevent diseases from spreading. The Researchers are studying whether a well-timed post from a public authority or trustworthy person could be as beneficial as flu shots, hand-washing or sneezing into an elbow.

Government across the worlds have actually dedicated Social Media accounts to give updates. In such a backdrop the above study can provide a helping hand on another helpful use of Social Media . Historically Infectious diseases have been a major cause of death due to the spread of epidemics. Scientists are trying to model this epidemics so that they can reduce them.

A strange thing is that though huge advancement in medication and vaccination has helped save many peoples, revolution of communication and technology will take it a step forward. Using the advancement in technology can be ideal thing to create a framework that can provide a robust protection to society against any infectious diseases.

Inorder to validate the results, the researchers are gathering information about human behavior. The team is also identifying the various groups that need to be reached with social media.For instance some of the surveyed participants are college-age students. They are frequently asked questions such as their use about social media and the preventative measures that they use against illness.

Initial Results have been strange since majority of participants indicate they get lot of medicial information predominately from Facebook and a few other social media sites. There is a long way to go before this study can results can be concluded. But it is definitely provides another advantage and hopefully the research can be collaborated with more findings across geographies and demographics of population.

If you're feeling the urge to tweet, post on Facebook or check your email many times, you may be addicted to social media. Steve and Ben talk about some of the cons of social media and its impact on human behaviour.

You can see more videos on my web tv

Social Media - An Election Tool

03 11 2012 12:21:00 +0000

With the impact of Social Media still being debated, countries across the world are harnessing the power of social media effectively. In the most recent case, it was the high profile American elections. Though the Obama camp eventually emerged as a winner, the reach of both the Republican and Democratic candidates’ campaigning team was widened through the use of Social Media. Social media played a deep role and the technology use for election is here to stay.

Right from buying tweets which had names of candidates, to gathering comments on public debates or promoting the election agenda, social media tools were exploited to the maximum possible extent by both teams. But what makes these presidential candidates shift from the traditional marketing medium of TV, newspapers and radios to Social Media? Well, it is the reach of these tools across demographics and races from a single click of a mouse without the need for expensive investments in other communication mediums.

Not only candidates but also the voters have used the social media tool to promote their parties and some people have voluntarily given reasons why others should support their choice or candidates. Political conversations on Facebook and twitter were also a common phenomenon during election days. By analyzing this online conversation, some research agencies have published statistics showing that a considerable number of registered voters had made their voting party clear by sharing their experiences with photos of their voting experiences, “I voted” stickers, wide smiles — and voting ballots. The expression of mandate is definitely a concern for lawmakers since anybody can bribe you to vote for a different party. But for sure during this election, lawmakers were not quick enough and people exploited the tools to their fullest possible use.

The 2012 US election day opened with fresh information on Facebook and Twitter. Thousands of people, of all parties logged on to Facebook to click the 'I voted' box at the top of their news feed. Using this information, social media strategists on both the parties could monitor the voted percentage of poll locations, geographic, age demographics etc which proved vital to mobilize volunteers as and when needed. Even the social media site foursquare gave an 'I voted' badge to users by using #ivoted when they checked in to respective polling locations.

On the other hand, through the use of hash tags like #ElectionDay2012, #TeamRomney, #TeamObama, Twitter users were able to get thousands of up-to-the-second updates on what people worldwide had to say about the election. Even numerous celebrities were tweeting throughout the day about which candidate they supported in a last minute attempt to inform and influence their followers. Major news outlets also helped the world stay informed by live blogging about the election via their Twitter accounts. As per a report,31 million total tweets and spikes of more than 327,000 tweets per minute were reported on Election day breaking all previous records and testing the infrastructure of social media companies.

Going into the 2012 election, President Obama’s campaign team was not new to social media tools. They had used the social media machine during his 2008 election debate by flooding YouTube with videos, reaching millions of viewers. But the Romney camp did very well in 2012 compared to its predecessor competing against Obama. Still,the Obama camp,based on experience and good strategies , left the Romney camp beaten, amazed, and stunned at the final outcome.

Now here is a scary part. Though you might not like this , the campaigning team gathered detailed information about each of the eligible voters on the social media websites. All voters were connected by Web paths and the campaigning team was able to trace to family members, friends, coworkers, acquaintances and neighbors. Also the campaigning team were able to find what all these points of contacts did, what they liked, what TV they watched, what books, papers, and blogs they read. Based on such detailed analysis the campaign flyers and aids were customized for such voters. This is a perfect example of private information used efficiently by both teams.

The power of the Obama campaign team stunned Mr. Romney's aides since they saw voters they never even knew existed turn out. With a database of more than 13 million people, Web networks, flesh-and-blood volunteers who worked phones, went door-to-door, person-to-person, eye-to-eye, and a mixture of new marketing techniques along with old-school, Chicago-style, street-level politics was eventually the winner.

Though we can say that social media definitely has helped the elections, we can also definitely say that social media did not create those votes. Social media acted as a messenger to find out eligible voters, who otherwise would not have existed, by highlighting the importance of the election and the candidate himself. It is difficult to predict whether, if Barack Obama had not fought US elections, would any other president have harnessed so efficiently the power of the social media? Nevertheless he has opened a new chapter in the social media book and the social media tool will definitely be a great tool for all future election campaigns. A good opportunity for silicon valley companies to innovate new features for social media tools.

Here is a video of Night of Obama's Election in 2008

Ambassador Muhamed "mo"Sacirbey provides analysis during night long coverage of 2008 US Presidential elections. The implications of Obama's election as well as the campaign that brought out the stereotyping of Muslims in particular and the global political situation more broadly. Unprecedented: The 2000 Presidential Election

Here George Osborne Talks about Internet and Social Media Blogs. The main topic discussed in the video is the influence of internet and social media on politics and governments. Osborne says that the Internet and social media brings about a democratized for of communication.

You can check more of my selected videos on my Web TV

How Filmmakers are raising funds though Film annex

28 10 2012 01:19:20 +0000

As I was working on one of my MBA applications, i was asked to express my views through a video. It has been a big learning process for me to express myself in a 90 seconds video. But for sure, I realized that those filmmakers, whom i critique sitting at home/theatre are doing a fabulous job in expressing themselves. But then again when I was initially introduced to filmannex, I came to know that ‘Filmmakers are raising funds though Film annex’. Hence I decided to research further on filmannex video platform and what it offers to filmmakers. You can also watch the videos that I selected through my web TV link available at the end of this post.

Filmannex has such a impressive repository, that i did not have much to write. Rather i am sharing the collection of insightful tips that i received from various resources on Filmannex. Here is the first video on how we can use Facebook to Promote and Make Money on Film Annex.

Currently, Film Annex and its network of 300 Web TVs have more than 260,000 registered members, including award-winning content from international film festivals. Francesco Rulli is the Founder and President of Film Annex and here he talks about why he decided to start the new Film Annex Corporate Website.

Francesco Rulli, the founder and president of Film Annex, explains how the Film Annex business model works, how much traffic the platform gets, and some new strategies to keep the site active and strong.

Animation Filmmaker Jonathan Ng joined Film Annex only a few month ago. His Web TV has several great short films, interesting blog posts about how he makes his movies. Here he talks on Online Film Distribution and Social Media on Film Annex platform.

In this video, serial entrepreneur Tommaso Rulli discusses the reasons for opening and the long-term goals of Film Annex China. Tomasso is in charge of growing Film Annex China due to his extensive experience working in China.

After going through multiples resources, i had one basic questions- How is filmannex different from other platforms such as youtube( which give access to lot of videos). This question is beautifully answered in this post. Why Spiderman Is Not On Film Annex Professional Video Platform?

Film Annex is definitely a nice platform for filmmakers, writers, and viewers. I have been associated with them through my blogs, but will definitely post one of my videos on this site. Though i am not a great filmmaker, the social message that i convey is important.

Thanks to Filmannex team for providing such a great platform.

Watch more videos through my web TV

Can Social Media Change the Face of Afghanistan?

28 10 2012 01:00:29 +0000

A recent Reuters report states that "Afghan social media war steps up with new campaign". I was puzzled since only 2 million out of 30 million Afghanistan population have internet. But Social Media has surprised everybody when it comes to its intended use. Without a bullet, the mighty words typed from keyboard are influencing today's society. Afghanistan, which is re-building is no exception to this rule.

Not sure if the new Afghan generation got a chance to see this video by Film Annex Founder/CEO Francesco Rulli talking about social media strategies. It is a worth watch and has lot of insights into Social Media.

With so many ideas flowing in, Social Media influence in the upcoming Afghanistan cannot be denied. Here is an interesting Interview with Journalist, Angela Shah - Social Media, Afghanistan, Women's Empowerment

While Afghan journalists are still fighting for press freedoms and media laws, the major use of Social media has been by the people who are between the military and the government. The normal people who want calm and bright future have got a medium to voice their opinion. On Another front troops and militants have used social media to spread propaganda and claim victories.

A common method of showing displeasure with the government has been suicide bombings or riots which get the life to a standstill. Though all have a right to show their opinion, it does not mean that the livelihoods of millions of Afghanis get affected. The poorly trained Afghan security establishments are not strong enough to manage/save its citizen. The young media-savvy Afghans have vented their frustration out through social media tools to express their dismay at the destruction bought by the riots.

Since the 2001 ousting of the former Taliban government by U.S.-backed Afghan troops, Afghans have access to better phones and communications. But still majority of population live in simple homes. Previous Taliban government banned internet saying it had anti Islamic material. But today even the militant group understand the power of social networking and frequent promote their messages through various social media sites.

Access to internet seems to be a distant dream still for lot of Afghanis. While Internet cafe use has sprouted in towns and cities, the use of social media has mainly been confined to issues, which are more difficult for mainstream media to confront without provoking a backlash. Some groups within Afghanistan are also launching campaign to encourage government officials, rights groups and aid organizations to widen the use of social media. Such campaigns also sought to dismiss any negative conceptions of the Internet among the conservative Afghan Society.

Though it is difficult to say if Social Media can Change the Face of Afghanistan, It is for sure bringing some more awareness. With the role social media already played during uprisings across the Middle East, Social media could definitely help million of Afghanistan to safeguard political and social freedoms.

Mick Gibson is digital native with over 13 years experience in all things
web. He shares his experience on Social Media and Retargeting in the below video

You can also watch my selection of videos on my filmannex Web TV by clicking here

Is Social Media helping the Arab World?

15 10 2012 19:13:09 +0000

Social Media has been ushering its power and has been in the news for lots of reasons. Mischief’s, felony to solving cases, the Facebook IPO debacle, Security/Privacy issues etc, Social Media has been interacting with our lives in different ways and mediums. Last Year Social Media successfully helped in ending the long term autocratic rules in Middle Eastern countries. But the question is, is Social Media helping the Arab World?

Questions are plentiful and one of them which comes first is - how Social Media (a virtual world) changed situations on the ground. Well, one of the biggest advantages of Facebook or Twitter or any Social media tool is the ability to connect to people. This is a simple psychological process. Our elders used a phone or letter to connect to friends or relatives but we today rely on the Social Media tool to share our joy and connect with well wishers. The addiction in some people is so severe that Social Media takes priority over other important things.

For instance if you are following the US presidential elections closely either through your TV set or through the Web, then where do you find the most interactive population? I personally feel it is the lively audience of the Social Media Platforms that make the discussion more interesting, rather than just sitting in a room in front of the TV and murmuring your feelings. At last Social Media power has been so strong that corporations across the World are embracing it. Though others are scared of it, while some filter the contents based on their need.

Soldiers of Social Media are not using any bomb, gun or physical object as a tool. The combined arsenal of the internet, satellite communications and mobile phones have been used effectively by Social Media activists in the Arab world uprising. The revolutions in the Middle East used the biggest strength of Social Media i.e. mobilizing support and promoting rapid interaction for a common cause. Support was gathered, tricks on handling on security forces were sent, and meeting location maps were shared. All these strategies effectively put the government on the back foot. The autocratic Arab governments tried to block the social-networking sites to remove the brutal images of repression of the protests which had spread like wildfire. The Government strategy backfired and sympathizers watched events on their computers and televisions and joined demonstrators to oust the governments.

The debate on Social Media recently ignited again, after the recent Youtube video against Islam led to the killing of a top US diplomat. Some countries are questioning the freedom of speech in democratic countries. Unfortunately the people who question this are those who probably have never tasted it or are trying to gain votes by making statements. Though the debate on the freedom of speech and democracy have been waged by some countries, they cannot deny the role that Social Media has played in spreading the message and gathering support. Despite all these positive things there are disadvantages too. There are a lot of issues such as destruction of public property, loss of innocent life, no control on the spread of messages, converting virtual support to results on the ground etc.

To conclude, Social Media is a two faced coin. Each side has its own pros and cons. In other words most things have a good part and bad part. It is difficult to ban somebody from using Social Media but there should be an attempt to build thoughts along the right direction so that Social Media benefits the most rather than doing the reverse. Which side are you on?

Can Social Media and Online Education Work Togther

10 10 2012 22:22:55 +0000

The Next generations in developed and developing countries have been spending considerable about of time on Social Media. Is this a concern? Definitely yes since they have reduced time watching TV or going for outdoor sports. But rather than worrying about the concern, i think children spending time on Social Media offers us a platform to where children can be educated on Social Media platforms. The advantage of doing so is that their interest in Social Media activities will be tied up with the long term benefit of education?

But the big question is how this can be possible. Any why it should be encouraged? One of the first things i feel is that this should be encouraged this that, online education can fill the demand supply gap especially in countries like Afghanistan. For example the country has been spending enormous amount of money in building its infrastructure. But once the infrastructure it is build, it will be difficult for the Government of Afghanistan to get teachers with so much experience to come to the campuses. There can be lot of reason on why it might not be possible.

But with online education tools, teacher and students can interact sitting at respective location. Incorporating social networking tools into educational curriculum is the way forward. With the help of Interne, students can be involved in project based assignments in the real world, taking place around the world. The list of advantageous is enormous. Kids of Afghanistan will not be discriminated. They can get access to same teacher who teaches in New Delhi or New York.

Today lot of schools block social networking site despite the fact that some sites may be great educational resources. There are some great discussion and live help that can available through this sites/ blogs. Hence schools and parents should open up the conversation and figure out what to block and what to filter. In India, where eight million children between the ages of six and 14 are estimated to be out of school working as hard laborers or domestic workers, UNICEF implements an innovative teaching method needed to help these children eventually enroll in the mainstream school system.

Here is another nice video in which President Obama speaks about the critical need for education reform and discusses what his Administration has done to raise standards and encourage excellence during a speech to the Urban League.

According to Mashable.com , higher education – is “experiencing a similar shift as it struggles to adapt traditional design and delivery models to the demands of modern audiences who are accustomed to digital interactivity.”. Another report by Sloan Consortium reports that “two-thirds of post-secondary educational institutions are seeing an increase in online courses and programs”. These reports are good indicator but it is important to focus on quality of the courses and not quantity.

Most of the counties which have good infrastructure needs to focus on designing courses in way that young adults who use social media will be interested to use this platforms. The contents on Social Media platforms should be able to keep the interest of the young generation. Countries like Afghanistan where it is difficult to get education; Online education can be a big boon to future generation. It is time educational institutions begin to make major, yet realistic, steps toward revamping their online presence in basic education. Today business schools and certificate programs are being provided online. But it is important that basic education online infrastructure is built.

You can watch my Web TV here

Can Afghanistan attract tourists?

06 09 2012 18:56:57 +0000

Well the idea of Vacation in Afghanistan might send shivers down the spine, since it is one of the dangerous countries in the world. If you ask any laymen about Afghanistan, then immediately they might think/talk of of Bullets, Taliban, War etc. But friends, Afghanistan is not only about what is present. It has a strong cultural history and beautiful landscapes that you can hope to see once in lifetime.

President Obama has laid out plans for troop withdrawal from Afghanistan but there are some people/organizations who are trying to get back tourist to Afghan land. Afghanistan was actually considered a popular tourist destination prior to the Russian invasion of 1979. Then the Taliban rule and subsequent wars have almost virtually wiped away tourists. With moral policing still rampant, the locals are also afraid of going out.

But faced with the big task of establishing Civil Society and promoting growth, the Afghan Government is also promoting tourism options seriously. For instance to get Western travelers back, Afghanistan recently reopened its tallest mountain, the 24,580-foot Mt. Noshaq in the northeast, after years of conflict prevented travel in the region. The Afghan-American Chamber of Commerce (AACC) and Afghanistan Investment Support Agency (AISA) are collaborating with organizations across the world to stimulate business interests and Tourism in Afghanistan with potential Afghan business partners.

Despite the various initiatives, the fear in the mind of people cannot be eradicated in one day unless the civil war stops still there are some brave travelers who visit Afghan land. The demographic, of primarily travelers are aged 45 and up, highly educated and often solo or independent travelers. These are people who are aware of the risks and are ready and willing to take on the challenges the destination presents.

With different countries advising their citizens to stay away from Afghanistan, tourists are taking their own risk. Recently concluded Bamiyan's international ski competition held in the mountains of Khoshkak, a 30-minute drive from the capital of Bamiyan province had 20 skiers from outside Afghanistan, alongside 10 local competitors who have been newly-trained. Such initiatives are part of an ambitious plan to promote adventurous activities in different parts of Afghanistan, a country exhausted by more than three decades of war and destruction. One day when things calm down , there might be more people who will wish to visit the tourist spots. But till then the Govt of Afghanistan should silence guns since tourism and guns cannot go hand in hand.

Some of the famous places to visit as given in tourism websites are

Band-e-Amir

The five lakes of Band-e Amir are a beautiful location of Afghanistan. The cluster of five lakes iscollectively known as Band-e- Amir. Band e Amir lake is also called the lake of jewels. Lakes of Band e Amir lakes are formed naturally with extraordinary geological formations. Color of water is deep blue.

Kabul Museum

Once considered a valuable record of Central Asian history, Kabul Museum, also known as Afghanistan National Museum, was home to some of the finest collections in Central Asia. The Museum was built in 1920. Many objects fromPlaces to Visit in Afghanistan Kushan, early Buddhism and early Islam were hosted in the Museum. Some early manuscripts, miniatures, weapons and art objects belonging to former royal families were also kept here.

Khyber Pass

Khyber Pass has been an important site in Afghanistan. Khaybar has been an important link between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Throughout history it served as an important trade route between Central Asia and South Asia. Most foreign invaders in India entered through Khyber Pass. Crossing Khyber Pass, one of the most important pass in history, is quite adventurous.

Minaret of Jam

Minaret of Jam, a magnificent minar, is one of the buildings listed in the UNESCO's world heritage list. Minaret of jam is also called Minaret of Ghiyath al-Din Muhammad bin Sam. Minaret of Jam is quite isolated in itself, located in a remote valley next to the Hari Rud river.

Panjshir Valley

The Panjshir has always been most people's first choice in Afghanistan. When Afghanistan was on the tourist trail Panjshir valley was one of the most visited tourist destinations. Due to its proximity to Kabul and its astonishing natural beauty, Panjshir became people's first destination in the country. It is located 150km north of Kabul, near the Hindu Kush.

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Afghanistan cannot prosper if women are marginalized and oppressed

27 08 2012 00:16:01 +0000

In the Recently concluded Summer Olympics in London, Women from Islamic Country made a first step towards participation in sports by participating in some events. This might seem a small thing for people of Non Islamic countries, but this a big leap for future aspiring Islamic Women where some restrictions are enforced on the name of Religion. Despite this success, the biggest hurdle comes for Women who are bought up in War Ravaged Countries such as Afghanistan.

With American troops withdrawing from Afghanistan, it could be difficult for Organizations such as Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA) to maintain the modest Women’s rights that have made encouraging gains over the past decade. Despite this Women should not be threatened and should find solace in sacrifices and successes achieved by different Afghanistan Women. Below Video talks about how Elaha Mahboob, a web design manager and software developer at Citadel Software Company in Herat, Afghanistan Is using digital media to help Afghan women.

Today Afghan Women have run for office, been named to government posts and become more involved in Afghan society. Some of the common Sightings of Afghan Women are

Female lieutenants of the Afghan Air Force
Female officers of the Afghan National Police
Afghan women at a textile factory in Kabul
Afghan female students outside Kabul Medical University

The Afghan Constitution of 2004 guaranteed equal rights and the amendment in 2009 banned violence against women and set new penalties for underage and forced marriage, rape and other abuses. Despite this much still remains to be done.

Lot of Afghan girls are still not in school, girls have been attacked. In some rural areas, families trade daughters into marriage or prostitution to settle debts. Women abused by their husbands or families too often end up in jail instead of their abusers. As a famous saying goes ‘there is light behind a dark tunnel’, the Afghan Women will be hoping for the same.

The international donors understand the importance of Women in Afghanistan society and their role. Despite major focus on building Afghanistan’s Army and infrastructure projects, there is a strong international will to help Afghan Women. The Afghan society will have to change their view on women and work whole heatedly towards empowering women.

My Web TV

Corruption - Biggest Threat to Future of Afghanistan

15 08 2012 01:44:28 +0000

As Afghanistan tries to build up as a strong country, it needs monetary assistance. Consistent civil war as not only left it in a bad shape but also its natural resources need to be identified and industrial atmosphere/infrastructure built. The international community has come forward to help the Government of Afghanistan. But the biggest concern for international community is the misuse of money and the rampant corruption. Without the cleaning up of Corruption, the money given will fall in wrong hands and it will be difficult to rebuild Afghanistan.

Realizing the issue with Corruption, NATO is doing its part by spreading awareness among the people of Afghanistan. NATO’s primary objective in Afghanistan is to help the Afghan authorities to provide effective security across the country so that Afghanistan can be a safe heaven. But apart from providing security, NATO is organizing games to fight corruption. Because the people of Afghanistan are responsible for corruption. The give money to corrupt people and there are some who accept this money. A voice has to be raised to stop it, otherwise it will be difficult for a new Afghanistan to grow.

With US and NATO troops reducing their presence and the people of Afghan taking the countries security in their own hand, Governance has to be improved from the root. There are lot of area of Concerns for people of the world because Afghan President Hamid Karzai has made much less progress. There are people who are helping voluntarily without government help, but corruption has to be curtailed. Otherwise people will lose hope and take a path which will defeat the purpose of democracy.

The progress on corruption has to be audited or dealt with strict rules. No doubt support will be less and cleanup will be slow. But Corruption is an evil which can be dangerous than Taliban. Without a strong support from all faction of government of Afghanistan, the country is in the danger of falling in the hands of militant. If the international money is not properly utilized then the economy will hardly grow in turn creating jobless youth who might take up arms. To conclude, the Future of Afghanistan is at risk due to Corruption.

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Can Event like Olympics help to Unite Afghan Development

29 07 2012 20:40:44 +0000

Started about 2700 years ago, Olympics were started as part of religious festival. People from all over the Greek world came to watch and take part despite the fact that city-states of Greece were often at war. This was one event were the warring factions came together and in true spirit competed. Today Olympics though have evolved from Greek to world; they do present an opportunity for players to unite a country. Afghanistan is a best example where at least the warring factions will not have any objections because the 6 athletes despite cast or sect are aiming for one thing. To get a podium finish and see the country flag high is what each Olympian would expect.

Despite the major challenges faced, these athletes are pride of their nation. The Afghanistan women athlete in the Islamic headscarf, Tahmina Kohistani is participating in the 100-meter. But she faced the abuse: the men watching her train in Kabul, heckling her to go home or the taxi driver who kicked her out of the cab when he found out that she was training for the Olympics. Such cases are inspirations for a country which is trying to establish an identity of its own in world map.

In helping Afghanistan build, people like Kirk McDonald are doing their bit. Kirk McDonald is the President of Pubmatic, a company that provides innovative technologies for publisher. Being aware of the power of social media, Kirk ideas look simple but they can bring about a revolutionary change. Social media is form of conversation that can be used to engage the audience.

Afghanistan government can use social media to remove the barriers and nurture youths to realize their potential. Social media uprising have caused havoc across Arab nations by helping topple governments. If used properly it can be used to fuel positive energy of youth and reconnect with the rest of the world.
Olympics, Film Annex's initiatives in Afghanistan, contribution by successful people like Kirk McDonald are examples of people/organizations rising above their normal routine and provide a helping hand for the talented people of Afghanistan. Log on to FilmAnnex and check more videos.

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Empower Women with Knowledge to give Afghanistan a bright future

06 07 2012 23:47:13 +0000

It might be difficult to gauge a women importance from a famous saying "behind every good man there is a woman or women" but the fact is that women contribution cannot be calculated. Nevertheless there are some societies who on the name of religion stop women from getting educated. The women who form the core of human up-bringing by playing different roles such as mothers/sisters/daughters/wife unfortunately are not getting enlightened due to the belief system of some faction who adjusts religion principles based on their own good. The war ravaged Afghanistan is perfect example where women are deprived education by the male dominated Society.

But this has not stopped ladies from getting educated as some noble like minded people from the Afghanistan society have seen power of education to a lady across the world. The world is abundant with examples/case studies on how education can change the life of women and the ecosystem existing around women. The Houz-e-Karbas High School founded in 1962 in Afghanistan is an all-girls school with approximately 4000 students and 92 teachers. With the support of Film Annex this school got its first internet classroom in May 2012. Though the schools are taught in tents, this noble initiative is surely helping afghan women get drop of water from enormous knowledge ocean.

The Soviet war followed by the civil war, led to the destruction of many schools. But the education system suffered the max when the Taliban conquered and ruled most of Afghanistan. But since 2001 the education system is slowly improving at snails place. According to old estimates by Afghanistan's Ministry of Education, more than 5.4 million children including 35% girls are getting educated.

The recently adopted Afghan constitution states that "the citizens of Afghanistan - whether man or woman- has equal rights and duties before the law". Women are slowly returning to work, and some of them are at prominent positions in the government. But challenges for women in Afghanistan society are abundant. Many families restrict the women in their home from participation in public life. The ladies are forced into marriages while others do not get basic education etc. Different schools of girls have been burned down while some girls have even been poisoned to death for daring to go to school. Despite these challenges, I salute the women who make brave attempts to get enlightened with the knowledge. Empower Afghan Women with Knowledge will help the Afghanistan to get a bright future.

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Knowledge - Solution for the pains of present & future Afghanistan

29 06 2012 22:47:54 +0000

Today problems are plagued everywhere across the world. Some of the countries problems are due to insufficient market conditions or no money, while other countries are busy in elimination a faction of their own people who are against development. The main problem with countries which are blood bathed everyday is that there is very less development and education is accessible only to the rich.

But in 21^st century, humans can solve these problems by using social media and other online tools available through internet. Digital and social media is a powerful tool. Several countries political scenario has changed over last two years and most of these efforts were driven through online tools. In the ongoing uprising across the worlds, people are using social media tool effectively. Apart from political uprisings, these tools definitely can be used to impact the educational and financial landscape.

Film Annex has partnered with Adap.tv to effectively use the power of digital media. Already film annex has been effectively working on building schools in Afghanistan through the noble initiative of Afghan Development project. Partnering with Adap.tv gives the opportunity to get experienced digital media partner to set up the right communication channel for the people of Afghanistan.

The people of Afghanistan have seen lot of blood. Sufferings have been enormous. But there are lot of good things that are happening outside Afghanistan. Through Digital media Afghani people can connect and get updated with what is happening outside the world. For instance the game of sports such as Football, cricket etc. Or it can be their favorite recipe. Even Afghanistan government information or updates can be easily accessed through social media.

But providing access to digital media is not going to be easy. Developing infrastructure for internet is the biggest challenge in Afghanistan. There will be hurdles for sure. But determination is the key. With partners such as Adap.tv, filmannex Afghani people have got the help of experienced hands. How the positive energy is channeled for the future growth needs to be seen. I hope even the Democratic governments opposition realizes that normal afghani has all rights to grow or learn rather than always be feared about bullets and blank future.

All the world’s major militaries are focusing their resources for an online battle rather than through bullets. In such sophisticated world it is unfortunate that countries like Afghanistan are late in the internet boom. But it is never too late. Industrial revolution Is an perfect example. When industrial revolution started most of the developed counties of today were colonized and could never participate in it. But later these developing countries caught up with developed countries and today are major trade players. People of Afghanistan should not get disheartened. Rather they should use the internet as a lifeline to get educated and grow in future.

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Afghanistan - It is not only bullets

17 06 2012 01:30:41 +0000

Afghanistan the world over has been known because of the violence that is common over there. People of Afghanistan are fighting against their own people. Blood is being shed. Corruption is rampant. Poverty is common. There is lot of issues. The only hope for the people of Afghanistan is that their good will prevails and the democratic elected government can either crush the opposition or unite with the opposition to form a bright future. The sufferings are not only by the citizens of Afghanistan but also by the foreign troops who are fighting for the afghan people. Below video talks about one such experience.

But Afganistan is one of those countries which has strong cultural connections with other asian countries and boast of strong cultural ties. One such country is India. Indian movie (bollywood) songs are quite common entertainment options for most of the Afghani people and they can easily utter the rhymes in hindi language. True to the traditional bonding, the Indian government has been trying to help the country in civilan areas such as building roads, hospitals, schools etc. Also India is going to host an international conference on Afghanistan within the next two weeks in New Delhi. The major purpose of this conference is to promote investment opportunities for MNC in Afghanistan.

Though Afghanistan is not one of the newest countries on the world map, it is the sixth failed country in world as per the Failed States Index Data 2012 statistics released by The Fund for Peace. The main purpose of this statistics was to focus on political, economic and social pressure experienced by various countries. With most of the foreign troops about to withdraw by next year, the govt of Afghanistan has a strong task ahead of it. The United Nation and other global agencies will have to co-ordinate to help unite the Afghanistan. UN goodwill ambassador Angelina Jolie on a visit to Afghanistan highlighted some of these points.

Maintaining a united Afghanistan free from opposition will be the top priority of world leaders. The world is going through a turbulent phase due to economic downturn. World powers will have to balance their act out and not sacrifice one for the other. President Obama did highlight the way forward, but it is not free of hurdles.

Afghanistan has resources and talent. But the bullets are holding back the true talent. A beautiful country is caged by problems. People feel unsecure. But since the percentage of people who feel positive about their country are more, the sacrifices made by this brave people are enormous. People are working to get afganistan to the world map. Cricket team of Afghanistan has qualified for the ICC conducted T20 world cup despite problems at home. Such events unite the country and hope one day Afghanistan streets become free of violence and hold a bright future for future generations.

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Realizing Dreams of Afghans Youths by building Schools

31 05 2012 01:33:29 +0000

Across the World, major newspaper headlines are talking about upcoming US election and withdrawal of US and NATO forces from Afghanistan. But what people do not seem to know is the difficulties forced by the civilian population of Afghanistan. There is high rate of Corruption, youths/kids are being hired by Taliban forces to attack government troops and the proud Afghanis are still struggling to lead a peaceful life. With so many problem, the future of afghan generations is un-certain.

At present the afghan and world experts are debating the future. On the other side world political leaders meet to decide how much dollars must be assigned for afghan reconstruction amidst the looming global recession, one biggest question that is still open is how afghan youth power can be channelized. One such initiative is being taken Film Annex's founder and president, Francesco Rulli to build schools for afghan generations.

If you see in Afghanistan the major reason people are joining talibans is because of the money that they are being offers. Small children’s are being hired to kill others by sacrificing themselves. It is a pity that at a time these children’s should play sports on field they are being trained on handling dangerous weapons and taught hatred. But with Afghan Development Project an attempt is being made to change this.

The major aim of this project is to build schools buildings and equip them with high speed internet. Some of the famous characters like Charlie Chaplin are being used to change the mood of people and show them different perspective of human civilization. Apart from educating afghan children’s, the project also aims to show the world what Afghanistan has to offer for business and connect various cultures.

This noble initiative is being implemented at the fraction of cost that might be needed to do a similar thing in Europe or America. The big pool of young Afghanistan people can be motivated to proper direction through such noble initiative and thus have a bright future. On April 25^th 2012 the first internet classroom was built. The below video given you a idea of the effort spent for building this classroom.

There has been lot of reports on the rising corruption and diversion of funds for building schools. But proper monitoring mechanism and audits can eliminate such loopholes. The initiative by Francesco Rulli is a right step for eliminating the root problems faced by Afghan people. Business houses across world can utilize such trained motivated young people to expand their business in Afghanistan. The schools of the walls are not politics but they are just a medium for educating the afghan youngsters and making them smart as youths across the world.

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