Public Speaking
Topics I have come to discuss/lecture on include entrepreneurship and private sector development, post-conflict/post-crisis development and growth, the Egyptian revolution, social media and social change, citizen journalism, etc. I regularly give talks in English, French, and Arabic.
My latest conferences and public talks (which I remember) include
Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy, 11 November 2020, Washington DC, USA
Chatham House, 10 September 2020, London, United Kingdom
“China’s Evolving Economic Relations with North Africa: Before and After COVID-19”
Academy for Defense Intelligence, 1 September 2020, Washington DC, USA
“Africa and the Fourth Industrial Revolution”
Chatham House, 12 August 2020, London, United Kingdom
MIT Alumni Association, 15 June 2020
Chatham House, 23 April 2020, London, United Kingdom
Commonwealth Africa Summit, 12 March 2019, London, United Kingdom
“Doing Business in Africa: Managing the Corruption Factor”
and “Fostering innovation in Commonwealth Africa to meet the continent’s unique challenges”Oxford Business Forum Africa, 9 March 2019, Oxford, United Kingdom
UCLA, 16 February 2019, Los Angeles, USA
“Corrosive Capital: Russia and China in MENA”
“Nudge and Behavioral Insights for the Middle East: How can the Region Benefit?”
Raisina Dialogue, 9 January 2019, New Delhi, India
“Deconstructing #MeToo, one year later”
Atlantic Dialogues, 14 December 2018, Marrakech, Morocco.
Chatham House, 12 December 2018, Rabat, Morocco
“New models for transformation and cooperation for North African Cooperation and Competitiveness”
International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), Annual Democracy Forum, Windhoek, Namibia, 27 November 2018
Africa Impact Investing Leaders Forum, 25 October 2018, London, UK
“Partnering to Build High-Growth, High-Impact Enterprises”
Bucerius Summer School on Global Governance, Zeit Stiftung, 14 August June 2018, Hamburg, Germany
“Debating Current Issues in the Near and Middle East”
“Workshop: Developing Fragile States Development”
OSCE and Zeit Stiftung, 13-17 June 2018, Pristina, Kosovo
“The Future of the OSCE”
African Evidence Informed Policy Forum, 6-8 March 2018, Nairobi, Kenya
“Understanding how to foster the use of evidence to policy in Africa”
“World Government Summit”, 11-13 February 2018, Dubai, UAE
“Obstacles to youth entrepreneurship in the Middle East”
International Monetary Fund – Opportunity for All, 29-30 January 2018, Marrakesh, Morocco
“Leveraging Technology for Higher Growth and Opportunities”
Raisina Dialogue, 17-18 January 2018, New Delhi, India
Informing the ESCWA Strategic Framework, 2020 and Beyond, 27-28 December 2017, Beirut, Lebanon
Conference convener and moderator
Internet Governance Forum, 18-21 December 2017, Geneva, Switzerland
Various roundtables
Harvard Arab Alumni Conference, 11 March 2017, Amman
“Building After Conflicts”
Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy, 12 October 2016, Washington DC, USA
“Outlook on Egypt and the IMF deal”
World Economic Forum on Africa, 11-13 May 2016, Kigali, Rwanda
United Nations Alliance of Civilisations Forum, 25-27 April 2016, Baku, Azerbaijan
“Volunteering in refugee camps: the Lighthouse Relief experience”
Columbia University, 29 March 2016., New York, USA
“Post-crisis economic development” [University Lecture]
Aspen Institute Italia Seminar, 18-19 March 2016, Palermo, Italy
“Euromed cooperation in entrepreneurship”
United Nations Economic and Social Commission on West Asia, 1-2 December 2015, Beirut, Lebanon
“Private Sector Development Challenges in Post-Conflict Countries”
Internet Governance Forum, 3 September 2014, Istanbul, Turkey.
“Evaluating MS Mechanisms to Address Governance Issues”
Harvard Kennedy School of Government, 19 August 2013, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
“Future perspectives on Egypt”
World Affairs Council of Houston, 14 August 2013, Houston, Texas, USA
“The Next Step for Egypt: Securing Good Governance and Building Economic Growth”
4th Arab Social Media Forum, 8 July 2013, Ramallah, Palestine / Amman, Jordan
Keynote talk: “What’s Next in Social Media”
Aspen Institute Italia, 5-6 July 2013, Naples, Italy
Aspen Mediterranean Institute seminar – “The Changing Mediterranean: the quest for growth and the Gulf factor”
Plenary Panel discussion: “Latest developments in Egypt”
World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa, 24-26 May 2013, Dead Sea, Jordan
Moderator of a panel discussion on “Preparing for the Workforce of the Future”
Moderator of a private discussion with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas
Anna Lindh Forum, preparatory meeting on Media, 28 February – 1 March 2013, Barcelona, Spain
Panel discussion, “Reporting economic and social crises”
Swedish Institute, YLVP Alumni conference, 19-21 February 2013, Rabat, Morocco
Workshop: “Developing innovative ideas for business and social entrepreneurs”
World Economic Forum, Annual Meeting, 22-27 January 2013, Davos, Switzerland
Panelist: “Meet the Millennials”, 26 January
Firestarter: “Financial Inclusion”, 24 January
Rapporteur: “A new vision for Arab Employment”, 23 January
TEDxCairo, 1 December 2012, Cairo, Egypt
“Democratising Entrepreneurship – ريادة الأعمال للجميع” – In Arabic
Aspen Institute España, 24-25 November, Cordoba, Spain
Aspen Mediterranean Institute seminar – “Global Networks and Business strategies for Mediterranean Integration”
Google Internet at Liberty, 23-24 May 2012, Washington DC, USA
Panel: “what is the responsibility of United States institutions in promoting internet freedom?“
TEDxUChicago, 29 April 2012, Chicago, Illinois, USA
“The revolutions within The Revolution” (presentation to be uploaded soon)
5th Arab Free Press Forum, 23-24 January 2012, Tunis, Tunisia
Discussion: “The Media – Help or Hindrance to Revolution?”
4th United Nations Alliance of Civilizations Forum, 11-13 December 2011, Doha, Qatar
“The Arab Spring: Youth and Nation Building”
Arab Thought Foundation 10th Annual Conference, 5-7 December 2011, Dubai, UAE
“The Economic Challenges in the aftermath of the Arab Spring” (Ar.) [press]
Columbia University Global Center launch event, 2 November 2011, Istanbul, Turkey
High-level policy discussion (closed)
Panel discussion, “Is the Internet Too Free?”
Sweden In Arabic launch event, 13 October 2011, Swedish Embassy, Cairo, Egypt
Panel discussion, “Social Media and its use in Business Development and Small Projects”
International Conference Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the first Congress of “Solidarity” (Solidarność), 9-10 September 2011, Warsaw/Gdansk, Poland
Debate: “Are Cairo and Tunis Repetitions of Gdańsk? The Waves of Democratisation
Throughout the World”, 10 September 2011
Vantage Communications workshop, “The Power of Blogs”, 10 July 2011, Cairo, Egypt
Presentation: “The Weakness of Blogs”
Almedalen Week – Sweden’s most important yearly political gathering, 6-8 July 2011, Visby, Sweden
Discussion, “Global leadership and the new Digital Landscape”, 7 July 2011.
Tällberg Forum, 30 June – 3 July 2011, Sigtuna, Sweden
Opening plenary session: “the Middle East: Old Maps, New Realities”, 30 June 2011.
Workshop: “The Global Network Society”, 1 July 2011.
Panel Discussion: “After Democratic Revolutions: What Next?”, 2 July 2011.
Turkey State visit; 3-8 June 2011, Istanbul/Ankara/Konya, Turkey.
Meetings and discussions with a host of Turkish political personalities, including President Abdullah Gül, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmet Davutoğlu, and a number of party and civil society leaders.
Connect!! Pakistan’s first Social Media Summit, 11 June 2011, Karachi, Pakistan
Panel on “Education & Good Governance: Going Digital”.St. Gallen Symposium, 12 – 14 May 2011, St. Gallen, Switzerland
One-on-One (public interview) with Ribal Al-Assad, 12 May 2011
“The Media, a sword. But who carries it?”, debate with US Army Major Michael Erwin, 13 May 2011
Palestinian Vision, 1 May 2011, Jerusalem, Palestine
Workshop on Social Media for Jerusalemite youth (in Arabic)
Bil’in 6th International Solidarity Conference, 28 April 2011, Bil’in, Palestine
“Lessons learned from the Egyptian revolution” (in Arabic)
TEDxRamallah, 16 April 2011, Bethlehem, Palestine
Institut Francais d’Egypte, 12 Avril 2011, Le Caire, Egypte
Conference “Points de Vue” en compagnie de Guy Sorman (in French)
ArabNet.ME conference, 24 March 2011, Beirut, Lebanon
Panel on “Social Media and Citizenship”
American University in Beirut, 22 March 2011
Guest lecturer at the School of Journalism – Digital Media
UNDP – Central European University Webinar, 08 July 2010
Social media and political mobilization
5th Global YES Summit – Rework the World, 4 June 2010, Leksand, Sweden
Panel on “Job creation and youth engagement as means of integration
in conflict and post-conflict regions”
Media Seminar on the War in Gaza, Norwegian Institute of Journalism, 26 February 2009, Oslo, Norway
Presentation, “Arab Media coverage of the War on Gaza”