Knowledge and the Arabic Web YLSMC - Desiree El-Chebeir 6 March 2010
May 21, 2015
Knowledge and the Arabic Web
YLSMC-
Desiree El-Chebeir6 March 2010
Overview
• Knowledge development as crucial to the advancement of nations
• The status of the Arab World’s intellectual arena
• The Arabic Web as an opportunity to leapfrog other countries
Hello, World War!
• War + Bookstore = Nerd (in disguise)
• Read:– to learn– to escape reality– to make sense of the world
• Curiosity to learn 13 year exploratory journey to USA, Europe and Asia
A B C vs. ا ب ت
• Books accessible everywhere: Europe, USA
• Asia: only in more developed countries (Singapore)
• Reading as a hobby
Difference in Attitude
• Reading on the bus, waiting for a plane or a train, in coffee shops, at the hairdresser’s, everywhere!
• People loved to read
• People loved to debate ‘big ideas’ – disclaimer: I was usually in highly intellectual circles (San Francisco, Paris, Frankfurt, etc…)
Reading Material
• “Dating for Dummies” and “The Innovator’s Dilemma”
• “ المذهلة بطوطة إبن المؤامرة ” and ”حياةلبنان على ”العالمية
• Books as a reflection (and a reinforcement) of our mind-numbing reality
Vicious Circle
• No real appeal to the youth of today Smaller Market Fewer Books
• UN Study:– Spain or Italy’s book production in ONE year >
Arabic book production from ALL Arab countries for the last 10 years
– Population: 338 Mil (Arab World) vs. 60 Mil (Italy) ~ 5.6 times bigger!
So What?
• OECD Report: education has been directly linked to GDP growth
• GDP:– $1.6 Mil (Arab World) vs. $14.2 Tril (USA)
• Innovation – according to a WIPO report:– ~200 patents for ALL Arab countries combined in 2008 vs.
~53,500 for the USA or ~3,000 for Italy– Population: 338 Mil (Arab World) vs. 300 Mil (USA)
New Face of the Arab World
• 65% of the region’s population is under 30 among the youngest in the world
• Leaders of tomorrow
• Social networks, online gaming, sports and entertainment
Garbage In, Garbage Out
• Responsibility as young, educated, Lebanese or Arabs for content development
• Arabic web “under construction” as opportunity and threat
What can We Do, Now?
• Paper-based books patterns are an indication
• Leave everything as is Dark Ages, “death by intellectual handicap”
• Lack of real government involvement Need for Community driven planning and involvement
Framework at a Glance
• Framework for content enrichment
• Three Parts:– Collective framework for translating books– Platform to submit original work/essays– ‘Forums’ for knowledge transfer
Part I: Translation Project
• A lot of knowledge already developed in other languages
• Arabic as main language for many of the Arabs
• Crowdsourced translation
• Deals with foreign book authors/publishers
Translation Process
Book titles Translations
Community/diaspora
Validation
Conducts
Suggests
Community Translators/Volunteers
CommunityEditors/Publisher
Community Officers
Approved/Negotiated by
Released for Translation
Part II: Platform for Original Work
• Crowdsourced
• Voting and prizes
• Publisher’s involvement
• Research projects
Publishing Process
Original Work Published Books
Community/diaspora
Adopts for publishing / Awards prizes / Builds on research
Votes
Posts
Community/diaspora
Publishers/Universities/Research
Collaborators
Community Officers
Approved for Publishing by
Released for Voting
Part III: Forum for Knowledge Transfer
• Many experts with varied knowledge
• Many locals (or returning locals), but also large diaspora
• A la “YallaStartup!”
Risks and Considerations
• Money factor, Commitment
• Lack of Publishers collaboration
• Licensing issues / distribution
• Acceptance
• Others?
Get Involved
• Email: [email protected]
• Need: – Web developers– Marketers– Private businesses– Academia– Financiers– Editors– Publishers– Negotiators– Volunteers
Thank You!
• I hope I convinced you to get involved, with my reading project and beyond
• Here’s to our bright future: Cheers!
Final Thoughts
• "Your mind is yours and yours alone. It is your right, correction: your obligation, to challenge it!“
• "Be gentle to others, and critical of your own thoughts. And then go and have a chocolate on me :-)"