Ideas Beyond Borders

?? “Ideas Beyond Borders is pioneering a new movement that helps people liberate their own initiative and energy. They make me hopeful about the future.” – Dr. Tom Palmer At Ideas Beyond Borders, we’re proud to empower people across the Middle East and North Africa. Your support has driven life-changing results in 2024: ? House of Wisdom 2.0: 200M+ people reached with key works in science, politics, economics, and more. ? Innovation Hub: $303,976 in microgrants provided to 86 grantees, enabling groundbreaking projects like women-led taxis in Iraq. ? Underground Schools in Afghanistan: Over 2,000 women and girls defy Taliban restrictions to access quality education. This #GivingTuesday, let’s keep the momentum going. Join us in fostering a brighter, freer future for all. ?? ?? Donate today: https://ow.ly/364M50UcizF #GivingTuesday #IdeasBeyondBorders #Empowerment #Innovation #MENA

People in the Middle East are challenging outdated ideas and demanding access to knowledge. Censorship and language barriers remain, but this is the time to act. The House of Wisdom 2.0 team is translating essential works into Arabic to meet this growing demand for progress. This #GivingTuesday, help us reach more minds ready for change. ?? Donate here: https://ow.ly/P7Ho50UebAt #GivingTuesday #IdeasBeyondBorders #KnowledgeForAll

As international aid recedes, The Lotus Flower's Women’s Business Incubation program is stepping in to empower displaced women in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Supported by IBB, this initiative provides financial grants to foster entrepreneurship and resilience, helping women create sustainable businesses and secure brighter futures. ?? Read their story: https://ow.ly/hMcr50UcWWF #WomenInBusiness #EconomicEmpowerment #SocialImpact

?? Opportunities for Tech Startups in Kurdistan: Meet Smart Voice ?? As the Kurdistan Region of Iraq embraces digitization, there is enormous potential for new ventures. Shangar Hamaradha is among the innovators capitalizing on these opportunities with his company, Smart Voice. Shangar founded Smart Voice after identifying a gap: despite rising demand from agencies, there were no local voice-over service providers. Smart Voice now offers voice-overs in Kurdish, English, Arabic, and Turkish, making them a one-of-a-kind resource in Kurdistan. With the support of the grant by Ideas Beyond Borders and Rwanga Foundation, Shangar plans to expand Smart Voice, upgrade equipment, and introduce AI technology for automatic voice-over generation. This project exemplifies how localized innovation can meet specific market needs while inspiring growth and employment across the region. #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #TechStartups #Kurdistan #DigitalTransformation #HITEX2024

From One Sentence to 470 Million Views When Faisal Saeed Al Mutar translated a single sentence about free speech, he started a movement that became the largest classical liberal organization in the Middle East. Through the House of Wisdom 2.0, we provide millions with access to ideas suppressed by authoritarian regimes. With 8.6 million followers, we meet the demand for freedom, critical thinking, and an alternative to extremism. ?? Support our efforts to continue equipping the generation championing freedom of thought, human rights, and democracy in the Middle East. https://ow.ly/3ZJN50U9uqK

As Taliban restrictions increase, interest in the Innovation Hub is also surging across Afghanistan. When we launched the program in 2023, we received just 10 applications for micro-grants each month. Today, that number has grown tenfold to 100. Through these grants, the Innovation Hub empowers Afghans to develop projects that address pressing challenges, supporting entrepreneurship, advancing education, empowering women, and promoting arts and culture nationwide. Despite the difficulties, we continue forward! Join us in supporting Afghan innovators. Your donation can help foster resilience, self-reliance, and a brighter future for Afghanistan. https://lnkd.in/eDd6grw9 #InnovationHub #Empowerment #Afghanistan #DonateNow #Resilience #WomensEducation

Sara’s art center in Afghanistan gave over 100 women the opportunity to work and create under Taliban restrictions. It was their only way to earn a living and preserve their cultural heritage. When the Taliban shut it down, these women lost their livelihoods and a space to express themselves. Ideas Beyond Borders (IBB) is working with women like Sara to help them rebuild. Through grants, resources, and advocacy, we are supporting their efforts to resist oppression and preserve Afghanistan’s traditions. Read their story and support them through IBB's Innovation Hub: https://lnkd.in/eYxHzqbZ

When everything you own is gone in minutes, what do you do next? Lebanese women Rasha Shukr and Nahida Tawbe are answering that question. Amid escalating airstrikes, they’ve turned their social enterprise into a lifeline, housing and feeding displaced families with support from Ideas Beyond Borders' Innovation Hub program. Their journey started with a boutique employing vulnerable women. Now, their days are spent cooking for 23 families and raising funds to keep them fed. With over 1.2M displaced across Lebanon, their work is more vital than ever. Support grassroots resilience in the face of crisis: https://ow.ly/n6VF50U7nNi

?? Ever wondered what it takes to make the internet accessible in some of the world's most censored regions? Faisal Saeed Al Mutar and Nick Gillespie dive into the realities of the Arabic internet—how it’s transforming from restricted and unreliable to a space where people can finally access accurate information thanks to the House of Wisdom 2.0. From navigating extreme censorship in Iran and Syria to overcoming infrastructure challenges in Yemen, learn how innovative solutions like IP mirroring are breaking down digital barriers and empowering millions. ?? Watch the full conversation for Reason. https://ow.ly/6VQv50U2L24

Investing in Prosperity: A Message to the German Parliament During an intervention at the German Parliament, our founder and president, Faisal Saeed Al Mutar, shared a powerful vision: Aid alone fosters dependency. But investment in businesses creates mutual benefits, driving prosperity for both nations. Supporting liberal political establishments that champion free markets and free speech is not just a Western ideal—it’s a universal path to economic growth. Kurdistan’s thriving private sector is proof this approach works. It’s time to move beyond aid and toward meaningful investment that builds sustainable change. #MiddleEast #EconomicGrowth #FreeMarkets #MutualProsperity