To understand Esra’a Al Shafei’s stand for freedom of expression in the Middle East you’d have to see this and this and this and this.
And then you’d need to know she doesn’t agree with a lot of it, and she’s distributed and publicized it globally anyway. Her commitment to freedom of expression runs deeper than any of her personal opinions, which she will gladly spout at you in her trademark caustic, satirical style.
Esra’a is one of the reasons the European Summit for Global Transformation looks the way it does today… because young people like her need communities and resources of all kinds and sizes, some local and some global. She is ever-devoted to the cause of freedom of expression in the Middle East and is a Master of creating global online communities with extensive press coverage.
She was the student of one of the organizers, who thought she could use a little hook-up, a connection with some folks who didn’t know about her great work yet.
The European Summit community rallied around Esra’a after her 2008 presentation by
- donating as much money in two days as MidEast Youth had raised in its entire three years,
- providing her with part-time employment doing what she loves so she could continue her MidEast Youth work, and
- advising and supporting her TED Fellow application.
“The European Summit is where it’s all happening!” she reported shortly afterward.
In 2009 Esra’a’s attended the Clinton Global Initiative University, TED Global and became an Echoing Green Fellow. Her life is forever changed and her platform for freedom of expression in the Middle East grows wider and stronger by the day. In whatever small way we can help, we will. Good work, Esra’a!
Esra’a inspired us to include more young people in this year’s program; she’s why the Summit looks the way it does today.