Flying Paper Premiere ~ Palestine Fest @ MFA

Exciting to hear that Nitin Sawhney's collaborative film production Flying Paper has its local premiere at the Boston Palestine Film Festival (BPFF) at the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA). Nitin not only co-founded the festival, but will be here to speak and share the film.

"Like" Flying Paper ~ Vote for ArcLight Filmfest!

MIT alumnus filmmaker Nitin Sawhney writes the exciting news re: his Flying Paper documentary about resilient kids crafting kites...

"We have a unique opportunity to get Flying Paper into the ArcLight Documentary Festival in Hollywood as a "Fan Favorite," but we need your help by going to this link on YouTube and LIKING it. Only 5 films competing will win a spot in the festival as a "Fan Favorite" so our participation in this film festival is completely in your hands. Please go to YouTube and "Like" the link and share it with your friends and encourage them to do likewise."

Absolutely! Click thru to YouTube to vote...

Sinai Future? ~ AlJaz Explores the Fault Lines...

Very interesting to hear and see AlJaz special Fault Lines report The battle for the Sinai...

"Half a million people live in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, bordering Israel and the Gaza Strip. For decades, they have been governed by a strong security paradigm [...] Now they are back in the international spotlight because of an increase in militant attacks, arms smuggling and human trafficking. When Egyptians took to the streets against Hosni Mubarak’s police state [...] the insurgency here continued long after his ouster [...] Fault Lines explores the roots of Sinai’s ongoing uprising and, as Egypt’s new leaders vow to crack down on militancy and smuggling, the dangers of following an old script. How did the Sinai Peninsula become a crucible for geopolitical tensions?"

At root, it seems to be inequitable development with connected Cairo elites taking and locals languishing, but judge for yourself...

Threatened Lebanon ~ Refugees Upset Balance

NYTimes infographic by Sergio Pecanha, Timothy Wallace, and Derek Watkins show Refugee Influx Threatens Balance in Lebanon...

"Many in Lebanon worry that the influx of up to 400,000 Syrian refugees, who are mostly Sunni, may disrupt the delicate balance in the country. Lebanon fought its own sectarian civil war from 1975 to 1990."

Syria Snapshot ~ Map of Controls Mid-Mar 2013

NYTimes infographic by Liam Stack and Sergio Pecanha attempts Map of the Dispute in Syria...

"It is impossible to determine precisely where the boundaries of control lie in Syria. But an analysis of news reports and videos posted online indicates that rebels are stronger in the north and northeast, while the government holds the center of most of Syria’s largest cities and the west."

Gaza Kite Kids ~ DIY Hero Engineers-in-Training!

The 250,000 kids living in besieged Gaza can't do much about their geo-political plight, but they can build and fly kites! And they do -- lots of them! -- including the 2010 world-record breaking effort documented by Nitin Sawhney and Roger Hill in their Tayara Warakiya or Flying Paper film. UNRWA’s Gaza Summer Games 2011 included some thirteen thousand children wresting back the record from an ever competitive China! I first came to appreciate the kite-making kids and the power of their play from a NYTimes coverstory by James Bennet -- Rising Above, With Sticks, Paper and String -- which includes one my favorite vignettes...

"Wadiya seems to enjoy making kites as much as flying them. He gives most away to his friends, but he has held on to his favorite. Three crossed sticks of split bamboo give it a six-sided shape as broad as a manhole. The colors are of the Palestinian flag -- red, green, black and white. In the center, in gold, is the silhouette of Al Aksa Mosque in Jerusalem, one of Islam's holiest sites and the symbol of the Palestinian uprising. Yet when asked what he thinks about as he flies the kite above his damaged town, Wadiya, a serious boy, did not mention politics. His dream, he said, was to be an astronaut. He had never looked through a telescope, but he had seen pictures from space in books. "When I fly the kite, I think I'm on a different planet," he said. "I imagine myself someplace else."

Beautiful and inspiring words -- ones every kid can benefit from. Here's more of Wadiya and friends...

Beirut Wonder Forest ~ Greenroofs Superproject!

Wow, thanks to Lori Zimmer from Inhabitat for spotting the Beirut Wonder Forest [Which] Would Cover the Lebanese Capitol With Hanging Gardens by Studio Invisible! Say they...

"The advantages of having this done on a large scale are many. Better oxygen levels and a healthy environment is the first that comes to mind, but also a layer of trees will provide shade and accordingly soften the increasingly hot and arid climate, which in turn would lead to a lower level of energy consumption. Moreover, semi public green spaces will be created for the respective residents of each building, increasing even further the quality of living within the city itself. On the other hand, depending on the choice of trees and plants, these gardens can evolve into a sort of urban farming, yielding a small but valuable agricultural output. Ultimately, If the plan works out, Beirut could become a rooftop wonder forest, the whole city as a Landmark: Beirutopia."

P.S. Be sure to check out other Greenroof Cities visualizations and proposals and Greenscrapers generally!

Techub Israel ~ BBC on Startup Nation Factors

BBC's Katia Moskvitch on Israel High-Tech Hub...

"Israel is a world leader in terms of research and development spending as a percentage of the economy; it's top in both the number of start-ups and engineers as a proportion of the population; and it's first in per capita venture capital investment. Not bad for a country of some eight million people -- fewer than, say, Moscow or New York. [...] there is a whole blend of factors responsible for turning Israel into a start-up miracle. [...] But there is more to this start-up scene than certain aspects of Israeli culture -- the lack of hierarchy, a constant drive for individualism, regular risk taking. The government played a key role in the rapid rise of this start-up nation."

Arab Summer ~ Economist Maps MENA Latest...

The Economist supplies cartographic chronicle of Arab awakening!

Banning Boycotts ~ New Israeli Assault on Rights

Isabel Kershner writes in the NYTimes that Israel Bans Boycotts Against the State. This latest assault on human rights in the Levant...

"...effectively bans any public call for a boycott against the state of Israel or its West Bank settlements, making such action a punishable offense. [...] The bill passed by 47 votes to 38. It relates to calls for economic, cultural or academic boycotts of the state, its institutions or any area under its control, a reference to occupied territories. Offenders could face lawsuits and monetary penalties. Companies or organizations supporting a boycott could be disqualified from participating in bids for government work. Nonprofit organizations issuing boycott calls risk losing tax benefits. The so-called Boycott Bill was sponsored by Zeev Elkin of the Likud [...] the legal adviser of the Parliament, Eyal Yinon, determined that elements of the bill bordered on unconstitutionality and struck at the core of political freedom of expression. However, Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein gave the bill his approval."

How illegitimate can you get? Banning free speech? Sick. Beyond the Arab Spring, we need an Israeli Fall.

MEET in Middle ~ MIT's Summer Coding School

Excellent to see this NBC piece on MEET -- MIT's Middle East Education through Technology -- the summer school initiative bringing Palestinian and Israeli kids together to learn computer programming and business planning -- and, incidentally, to connect with one another across social, cultural, and political lines.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

City of David ~ 60' Spotlights Wingnut Perfidity...

Interesting how the perfidious righteousness of the various irrational religious wingnuts in the larger region is represented in microcosm in this City of David piece by 60 Minutes...

Paisraelistine Papers ~ SneakyLeaks Via Al-Jaz...

Al-Jazeera tries to boost ratings with this incendiary SneakyLeaks "scoop" revelation of The Palestine Papers including these "napkin maps" of prospective deals... Compare and contrast with other recent proposals.

Mapping Paisraelistine? ~ Gordian Naughtiness...

Mark Landler writes in the NYTimes, Trying to Break Logjam, Scholar Floats an Idea for a Palestinian Map...

"David Makovsky of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, wanted to show, in concrete terms, how negotiators could create a new Palestinian state in the West Bank, using the pre-1967 boundaries of Israel as a baseline, while taking into account the roughly 300,000 Jewish settlers who now live there. The goal, Mr. Makovsky said, is to “demystify” the territorial hurdles that divide Israelis and Palestinians, and to debunk the notion that there is no way to reconcile the Palestinian demand for sovereignty over the West Bank with the Israeli demand for control over a majority of the settlers. “In my view, it is definitely possible to deal with each other’s core demands,” he said. “There are land swaps that would offset whatever settlements Israel would retain. The impossible is attainable.” To be sure, Mr. Makovsky’s maps are an academic exercise..."

Daughters for Life ~ Gaza Doctor Abuelaish...

Fascinating to learn more about Palestinian Dr Izzeldin Abuelaish whose niece and three daughters were slaughtered by Israeli arms during Operation Cast Lead in 2008-9. The world knows of him because Israeli Channel 10 presenter Shlomi Eldar had him on live speakerphone grieving for those just slain. The remarkable thing is Dr Abuelaish's response has been to say "I Shall Not Hate". He's both written a book about this and founded the Daughters for Life foundation...

"His personal doctrine is that hate is not a response to war. Rather open communication, understanding and compassion are the tools to bridge the divide between Israeli and Palestinian interests. “All can live in harmony,” he says. “And all can reach their full potentials spiritually, emotionally, physically and intellectually.”

Also be sure to see this ABC Australia documentary Gaza Doctor distributed by Journeyman Pictures...

Greater Aqaba ~ Jordan's Compelling Vital City!

As I've noted before, I'm quite fascinated by the tremendous prospects for Jordan's southernmost city, the historic crossroads and seaport of Aqaba! Bordered by Taba and Eilat to the west and Haql to the south, Aqaba is really quite important as an entrepôt for the country and a bridge city linking disparate communities and neighboring peoples. And given the recent growth of interest in Charter Cities, and the role of SEZ's in China and other boom zones, I'd like to spotlight Aqaba as an emergent live-case example. Indeed, in a bold move, the Jordanians back in 2001 created the Aqaba Special Economic Zone (ASEZ) whose Authority runs...

"A liberalized, low tax duty-free and multi-sector development zone, the ASEZ offers multiple investment opportunities in a strategic location on the Red Sea covering an area of 375 km² and encompassing the total Jordanian coastline (27 km), the sea-ports of Jordan and an international airport. [...] Striving to turn Aqaba into a world class Red Sea business hub and leisure destination. ASEZA sustains a globally competitive investor-friendly environment and optimizes the efficient utilization of entrusted resources in harmony with the Zone's Master Plan to internationally recognized standards."

While the Greater Aqaba region is an environmentally challenging development zone, because the coastal area has historic- and eco-tourism sites as well as industrial and seaport infrastructure situated quite close together, these can be addressed and resolved. To execute the plan, the government and ASEZA have started the Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC) chartered to spearhead central development. ADC owns the ports, strategic land parcels, and key infrastructure and utilities. The latest news is that ADC Invites Companies to Submit Expression of Interest in Port Construction Works...

"The New Port of Aqaba will replace the existing main port facility and is an integral part of ADC’s transport master plan to transform Aqaba into a leading multi-modal logistics gateway for the Levant region on the Red Sea," said Shadi Ramzi Majali, CEO of ADC. [...] The site of the current port is being turned into a beachfront leisure and tourism destination called Marza Zayed."

Reinventing Syria ~ Playing a Pivotal New Role

My favorite monthly magazine, National Geographic, spotlights Syria in the latest issue in an article by Don Belt and photos by Ed Kashi...

"Forty years of socialism -- this is what we're up against," said Abdallah Dardari, 46, a London-educated economist who serves as deputy prime minister for economic affairs. [President] Bashar has recruited Syria's best and brightest expatriates to return home. The new team has privatized the banking system, created duty-free industrial parks, and opened a Damascus stock exchange to encourage more of the private and foreign investment that has quickened the pulse of the capital and launched dozens of upscale nightclubs and restaurants. "My job is to deliver for the people of Syria," said Bashar, who is known for occasionally dropping by a restaurant, leaving the bodyguards outside, to share a meal with other diners. In his push to modernize, Bashar's most potent ally is his wife, the former Asma al-Akhras, a stylish, Western-educated business executive who has launched a number of government-sponsored programs for literacy and economic empowerment. Daughter of a prominent Syrian heart specialist, Asma was born and raised in London."

The whole story is fascinating and timely -- especially since I've been keenly supporting the Innovate Syria initiative born here at MIT -- and because Syria is the lynchpin for enabling a peaceful and vital Levant.

Innovate Syria ~ Crafting Venture Clusters, Plus...

I was quite privileged and pleased this past week to participate in an Innovate Syria exploratory event. MIT graduate student Saeed Arida is one of the key orchestrators who drew us together with the Syrian Ambassador to the US Imad Moustapha. I've had the honor of welcoming the Ambassador to MIT before and, in fact, of walking him about on my special MIT Innovation Tour together with then EECS doctoral student Maya Said and Syrian-American entrepreneur Bob Ayan. This time our dinner discussion centered around building entrepreneurial clusters in Syria with the goal of increasingly linking all the top-cities and regions of the country in an economically vibrant network. So Latakia might become a translogistics and tourism cluster, while Aleppo an agriprocessing and solarpower cluster, and so forth. To catalyze such a promising future, however, we need urgent and tangible action today.

What Saeed's team advocate are Innovation Centers, starting in the center of the top-city, Damascus. Such nodes serve as attractors of talent from in-country, from the "brain-drain" diaspora, and beyond to come together to found, build, and lead a new wave of technology empowered entrepreneurial ventures which will change the prosperity dynamics of Syria. Saeed and his colleagues -- and for that matter Ambassador Moustapha -- aim for nothing less than transforming Syria into a prosperous and vibrant tomorrow. And I think they can do it too. Syria's strategic, natural, and cultural assets are unparalleled: beautiful environment, lovely location, rich and deep history, tasty cuisine and lively lifestyle, a largely safe and secular society, vital educational and intellectual strengths, and an entrepreneurial ethos pervading the people that has simply to be tapped, nurtured, and enabled. As my MIT visiting colleague Sigi Atteneder articulated in his award-winning Hummus 2050 project, Syria is central to the vital Levant which is the heart of a growing and glorious MENACA region more generally. This is a country which should be as (or more) properous per capita as California or Kuwait -- and that's for reasons independent of their respective gas and oil wealth! I look forward to helping Saeed, his colleagues, and Ambassador Moustapha to Innovate Syria!

Epic Roman Tunnel ~ 100km Thru Jordanian Rock

Thanks to Der Spiegel story The Ancient World's Longest Underground Aqueduct by Matthias Schulz for showcasing this discovery by Mathias Döring, a hydromechanics professor in Darmstadt, Germany...

"Roman engineers chipped an aqueduct through more than 100 kilometers of stone to connect water to cities in the ancient province of Syria [in today's Jordan]. The monumental effort took more than a century. "Amazing" is the word that the researcher uses to describe the achievement of the construction crews, who were most likely legionnaires. The soldiers chiseled over 600,000 cubic meters of stone from the ground -- or the equivalent of one-quarter of the Great Pyramid of Cheops. This colossal waterworks project supplied the great cities of the "Decapolis" -- a league originally consisting of 10 ancient communities -- with spring water. The aqueduct ended in Gadara, a city with a population of approximately 50,000."

If the Roman's could do this two millennia ago, surely we today can build waterworks and other translogistics infrastructure to support a prosperous and vital Levant!

Valley of Peace ~ Jordan-Palestine-Israel Projects

Back in mid-2008 Jennifer Schenker wrote a BusinessWeek piece on A Mideast Valley of Peace about the proposed Red-Dead connection and larger peace initiative. I just found and read this and it threads together several recent themes of special relevance including:

• the Hummus 2050 Project proposing an eastern-Med network of vital cities;
• the emergent global Peace Parks movement to ease tensions and come up with third-pathways to resolve conflicts;
• the Levant Prosperity Parks initiated by Stef Wertheimer to boost employment and entrepreneurship;
• proposed solutions to save the Dead Sea;
• the Saudi and other Arab Rail & Translogistics initiatives;
• investment in Greater Aqaba, Jordan's southern freeport; and
• growing development of the MENACA-EU Med region generally;

We need to accelerate these kinds of projects and seek out ever better pathways towards a peaceful, prosperous, and vital future.