Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Kawaakibi Foundation

@kawaakibi.org

340 followers 6 following 24 posts

We fight for human rights and for the MENA's future. https://kawaakibi.org

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Reposted by Kawaakibi Foundation

Iyad El-Baghdadi @iyadelbaghdadi.bsky.social · Jun 19

Until then: It was my birthday this week! And I just gave you this free situational briefing. Send me a gift by donating to my team, your donation will go towards our launch. And share this thread with someone, I'm sure they'll thank you

www.paypal.com/paypalme/kaw...

Pay Kawaakibi Center using PayPal.Me

Go to paypal.me/kawaakibi and type in the amount. Since it’s PayPal, it's easy and secure. Don’t have a PayPal account? No worries.

Reposted by Kawaakibi Foundation

Iyad El-Baghdadi @iyadelbaghdadi.bsky.social · Jun 19

Here's a big-picture geopolitical thread on Israel's war on Iran - its possibilities, impossibilities, dynamics, and delusions. My goal is to give you a full big-picture view in one place, which is why this is a long thread. If you prefer drip-fed updates, skip this thread.

Kawaakibi Foundation @kawaakibi.org · May 1

Entire episode here:

youtu.be/M-rdgldE5bM?...

War Between Syria And Israel Is Inevitable w/ Iyad El-Baghdadi

YouTube video by Eon Podcast Reloaded

Kawaakibi Foundation @kawaakibi.org · May 1

How Israel preys on minorities.

See the entire episode «Why War Between Syria and Israel is inevitable» with @iyadelbaghdadi.bsky.social on EON Podcast, link below.

Kawaakibi Foundation @kawaakibi.org · Apr 24

We’re grateful for the space to be in dialogue - and to witness important contributions.

We especially appreciated talks by Vanessa M. Leon-Sulca on colonial continuities, and Moudou Baqui on movement-building and sustainability in Detroit.

These conversations matter.

Kawaakibi Foundation @kawaakibi.org · Apr 24

Conversations on healing often centre culture, community, or spirituality - but rarely power.

Shefa takes a different approach: it supports individual healing while recognising trauma as a structural outcome of repression - and healing as a political and collective act.

Kawaakibi Foundation @kawaakibi.org · Apr 24

Several talks referenced historical colonial violence—but few addressed ongoing realities.

The silence around current displacement, repression, and state violence—including in Palestine—was notable.

You can’t confront historical trauma while ignoring the present.

Kawaakibi Foundation @kawaakibi.org · Apr 24

After more than a century of colonialism, authoritarianism, and violence, trauma has fragmented our social fabric.

Healing shouldn't be a privilege —it’s a precondition for strategy, movement-building, and any sustainable path to liberation.

Kawaakibi Foundation @kawaakibi.org · Apr 24

Our executive director @gatnash.com presented on behalf of Dr. Leyla Hussein, introducing Shefa—our trauma-informed healing programme for MENA communities and activists.

Shefa prioritizes mental health, trust, and collective coordination in the aftermath of repression and war.

Kawaakibi Foundation @kawaakibi.org · Apr 24

Our Chairman @iyadelbaghdadi.bsky.social shared a personal reflection on healing through spiritual practice and therapeutic tools - rooted in PTSD from exile and shaped by the political fallout of Jamal Khashoggi’s murder, when he became a target of the Saudi regime.

Kawaakibi Foundation @kawaakibi.org · Apr 24

Last week we attended @breakingconvention.bsky.social, Europe’s largest conference on psychedelic consciousness.

We attended as part of our ongoing interest in the use of psychedelic-assisted therapy to treat severe PTSD in activists and victims of violence and oppression in the MENA region.

Kawaakibi Foundation @kawaakibi.org · Mar 12

Check out the full episode where @iyadelbaghdadi.bsky.social presents his analysis on why he believes Israel, as an ethno-nationalist state, is poised to face a deep crisis within the next 15 years. Watch it here: m.youtube.com/watch?v=_0vl...

Israel as an ethno-nationalist state, won’t last beyond the 2030s | Iyad el-Baghdadi | UNAPOLOGETIC

YouTube video by Middle East Eye

Kawaakibi Foundation @kawaakibi.org · Mar 12

«But I think that the case can be made that the IDF actually does not know how to fight close quarters, commando-style urban warfare,» says our Chairman @iyadelbaghdadi.bsky.social in his interview with Middle East Eye.

Kawaakibi Foundation @kawaakibi.org · Feb 25

What is the most dangerous disinformation narrative you’ve seen affecting MENA-based causes? Drop your thoughts in the comments!

#RightsCon2025

Kawaakibi Foundation @kawaakibi.org · Feb 25

At our interactive session, we will break down real-world case studies and discuss how activists, journalists, and organisations can identify, resist, and counter deception.

Kawaakibi Foundation @kawaakibi.org · Feb 25

Authoritarian states use disinformation to create division, erode trust, and hinder intersectional solidarity. These tactics, from justifying genocide in Palestine to reshaping opinions on normalising relations with Israel and Assad, silence resistance and distort narratives.

Kawaakibi Foundation @kawaakibi.org · Feb 25

We're at RightsCon!

Our Executive Director @gatnash.com is hosting a panel today at the world’s leading digital rights conference, #RightsCon2025, to tackle a critical issue: How state-backed disinformation is targeting MENA-based movements - and how we can fight back.

Kawaakibi Foundation @kawaakibi.org · Feb 24

The event is a part of the “SAYKOLUHJEE” story, made by Tani Dibasey in the SCENE3 universe.

More info and tickets here: t.co/2wEnoltYxi

https://www.scene3.no/songsofliberation

Kawaakibi Foundation @kawaakibi.org · Feb 24

Friends in Oslo! Join us for the concert Songs of Liberation with Ramy Essam at Det Norske Teater on March 6th.

Kawaakibi will give a pre-talk about free speech, solidarity, and power.

We hope to see you there!

Reposted by Kawaakibi Foundation

Byline Times @bylinetimes.bsky.social · Feb 10

🔴Trump's Middle East Riviera: What Next for Gaza?

Trump's proposal to physically remove 2.5 million is pure fantasy. But what does it reveal? @iyadelbaghdadi.bsky.social explains the state of play

bylinetimes.com/2025/02/10/t...

Trump's Middle East Riviera: What Next for Gaza?

Even if Jordan and Egypt somehow agreed to a US take over Gaza, who would physically remove 2.5 million Palestinians? Trump's proposal is pure fantasy - but what does it reveal?

bylinetimes.com

Kawaakibi Foundation @kawaakibi.org · Feb 8

Trump's Middle East Riviera has no real chance of happening, but does have the potential to jeopardise the current ceasefire and hostage deal, and further destabilise the region, writes @iyadelbaghdadi.bsky.social.

Read the full piece here:

kawaakibi.org/trumps-middl...

Trump's Middle East Riviera: What next for Gaza

This week US President Donald Trump said that he plans to take over Gaza, forcibly removing its Palestinian population to make way for a “Riviera of the Middle East”. This plan has no real chance of h...

Kawaakibi Foundation @kawaakibi.org · Jan 31

As this year’s Norad conference “Money Talks” took place this week, we’re resharing a segment from a keynote speech by our Chairman @iyadelbaghdadi.bsky.social last year:

“The greatest threat to democracy is not autocracy; it’s hypocrisy.”

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e5R...

The greatest threat to democracy is not autocracy; it’s hypocrisy

YouTube video by Kawaakibi Foundation

www.youtube.com

Kawaakibi Foundation @kawaakibi.org · Jan 21

8 years ago, Iyad El-Baghdadi and Ahmed Gatnash wrote this article to make sense of the structural forces behind the global rise of authoritarian populism.

We're republishing it in order to examine what's changed, what hasn't, where we were right and wrong, and where we go from here.

Kawaakibi Foundation @kawaakibi.org · Jan 21

As Trump settles into the White House for the second time, is right-wing populism destined to keep growing?

@iyadelbaghdadi.bsky.social and @gatnash.com explore the structural reasons for its continued rise:
kawaakibi.org/seven-forces...

Seven forces driving the global rise of right-wing populism

As Trump begins his second term as President, the global rise of right-wing populism has never been more dangerous. Global shifts towards right-wing populism are symptoms of deeper, interconnected for...

Kawaakibi Foundation @kawaakibi.org · Dec 21

Kawaakibi congratulates the Syrian people on their historic liberation from the Assad regime!

We stand ready to support the rebuilding process of Syria with the Syrian people and remain steadfast partners in this endeavour every step of the way.

kawaakibi.org/kawaakibi-fo...

Kawaakibi Foundation congratulates the people of Syria on their liberation from the Assad regime

Kawaakibi Foundation congratulates the people of Syria on their liberation from the Assad regime after 14 years of resistance. This historic moment marks the dawn of a new chapter in their courageous ...