 Welcome to my website, it is wonderful to have you here! Hope you spend some time reading the blog and adding your comments. There will be a set time for live blogging in the future so we can interact in real time. Click around the various sections and leave me feedback on things you'd like to see me cover. Introduce me to people in your life or your community you think I should feature; share with me your story ideas and anecdotes. I'd love to know about good sites or blogs you come across. If you're a blogger, stay tuned for a guest blogging section to be announced soon. Your feedback about the new look and feel of the site is important to me; feel free to write me at Octavia@OctaviaNasr.com your comments or suggestions. Happy surfing,
HUFFPOST MEDIA ARTICLE: Undaunted, Octavia Nasr Tweets to New Heights - She has no regrets, she looks forward to capitalizing on the many opportunities the Middle East has to offer, and she continues to vigorously promote social media, although it led to her ouster from CNN. by Magda Abu-Fadil
Arab Media Forum - Octavia was a guest speaker at the recent Arab Media Forum in Dubai. Above is a photo from her Click here for a photo from Tedry.com
Top Arab Women Role Models - Octavia is listed as one of Yahoo!/Maktoob.com's Top Arab Women Role Models! Former CNN senior editor of Middle East affairs, Octavia Nasr is considered one of the pioneers of bridging the gap between traditional and social media. She played a pivotal role building and running the social media international news gathering strategy at CNN, until she was fired in July 2010, over a public statement of respect on Twitter for Lebanese cleric Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah, who she considered ‘one of Hezbollah's giants I respect a lot'. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images
Click the thumbnail below to get a larger view of media Octavia was featured in during her recent trip to the Middle East:
Octavia recently appeared on PBS' Charlie Rose show talking about current events in Lebanon with Robert Worth of The New York Times and host Charlie Rose
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 A Witness Who Saw Everything! Adel Imam’s New Egypt Islamists in Egypt are wasting no time showing the world their governance style. Instead of aiming high and tackling the many serious issues Egypt faces today, they went for the cheap shots first, settling old scores, making it no secret that their priority is to stifle freedom of speech, innovation and the arts under the pretext of “defending” Islam from what they claim are serious threats. Generations In Modern-Day Babel Tower Talking to various people of different ages, nationalities, ethnicities and upbringings, one understands how different we are and how many “languages” we speak. Moreover, one realizes how much we disagree and how we are becoming unable to see or accept the “others” with their differing perspectives. No matter what the setting, people's arguments these days reveal that different generations with a myriad of views and opinions are not only growing apart rapidly, but their differences are becoming irreconcilable at an alarming rate. The Arab League Ushers In A New Arab Order For the skeptics about a possible rebirth of the Arab League, the latest call for Bashar al-Assad to step down must have been a (pleasant or unpleasant) surprise. Sometimes It Takes A Disaster To Know Just How Bankrupt A Nation Is We've all heard it countless times, how unique Lebanon is. The bride of the Orient they call it. Switzerland of the Middle East is another exclusive label Lebanon has enjoyed for a long time. The capital Beirut is considered one of the most expensive cities in the world. Lately it's been featured as a nightlife oasis, setting a new standard in luxury, glitz and fun. America’s Extreme Dealings With Extremists The U.S. has indicated readiness to deal with Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood after years of adamant resistance to the mere thought of them in power. This shift in positions is indicative of the new reality on the ground in Egypt and will undoubtedly translate to the rest of the region one country at a time. Keeping It Simple This New Year! One thing to be excited about in this brand new year is the flurry of activity among Palestinians and Israelis to get back on track a Middle East process we had already counted as dead a long time ago. The seriousness of the calls from both camps for an immediate return to the negotiating table is an indicator of the global diplomatic gain the Palestinian leadership has achieved. It seems that the support the Palestinians have drummed up last year is going to pay off in 2012. The Israelis can also claim their own victory by saying the pressure they exercised on the United States to punish the Palestinians for their unilateral moves toward an independent state, have paid off because it unified the Palestinians and brought them back to the negotiating table. Goodbye Year of Spontaneity and Heroism.. Welcome Year of True Independence? Like an unplanned child, this past year came upon us. 2011 was conceived, carried and delivered exactly like an unplanned pregnancy with ups and downs, surprises and disappointments, hopes, wishes and desires. During the process some dreams were shattered or crushed while others came true. There is no denying that a lot was achieved during this historic year in many countries; but the real challenges have only now begun, and many new challenges will arise in the near and far future. Iraq: Let The Aftershocks Begin A Saddam-less, American-less Iraq comes face to face with its status as an independent republic. Iraq stands divided, broken, weakened, impoverished, and scrambled as a nation. Yet, Iraqis remain proud as individuals. Each Iraqi wants the best for his or her country. Each of them defining patriotism from their point of view. Their ethnic differences and violent clashes have been waged as unwelcoming neighborhoods, strong political disagreements, planted explosive devices and suicide bombings. Their sectarian division has deepened and gotten bloodier over the past years. It is now impossible to have a conversation about Iraq without the words Shiite, Sunni and Kurd being an integral part of it. It is also impossible to discuss any future of Iraq without factoring in the priorities of countries such as Iran, Turkey, Syria and Saudi Arabia. The place, AUB Issam Fares Hall And there it struck me! As the end of the year looms, December brings reflection and Christmas or Holiday parties and celebrations. This time of year also brings commemoration and longing to those no longer with us, along with intentions, resolutions and plans for the brand new year ahead. I find myself bombarded daily by people imposing their scare tactics on me as they try to sell me something. Products and services are for sale, ideologies too; and many are out there selling fear itself. Lebanon: Rape, Murder and The Failure of The State The attempted rape and murder of Myriam Achkar in Sahel Alma has angered and outraged all of us. Myriam's story is tragic and brings us face to face with the cruelest, most heinous of crimes. We are frustrated and enraged because it is unjust that she dies like this. A young woman, 28, takes a 20-minute walk from her home in the suburbs and gets sexually attacked and then murdered by a man. Until recently, the Arab League was often described as a failed organization devoid of any executive powers. This image was based on the League's long years of existence but lack of authority; always lagging behind significant events and regional crises demanding swift and decisive leadership. 16 Days Against Gender Violence The 16 Days Campaign calling for the eradication of all forms of violence against women starts today, November 25. The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence is an international campaign emanating from the first Women's Global Leadership Institute (WGLI) sponsored by Rutgers University Schools of Arts and Sciences' Center for Women's Global Leadership (CWGL) in 1991. Independence - More Precious Than Ever The repercussions of the Arab Spring are getting closer to Lebanon with a worrying forecast of heavy clouds and possible storms that can certainly bring in rain, floods and even an “earthquake” that will create havoc among an already divided, confused and brainwashed population. An Arab Spring Update - (Last week's column updated) Egyptian blogger and activist Alaa Abd El Fattah will be spending more time in jail. Many others like Alaa who fought hard for years to bring freedom to Egypt are thrown in jail awaiting military trials. Why would Alaa be treated this way after he and his revolutionary comrades already paid a high price to live in a free country? Why is SCAF (Supreme Council of the Armed Forces) in charge, and for how long? When will elections be held to usher in true reform? Why is SCAF punishing the heroes of the revolution instead of honoring them and ensuring they play an effective role in building their free nation? I don't think the Mubarak regime really fell. It is still alive through such dictatorial practices! It’s Like Going Backward Except Worse Brave activists like Alaa Abd El Fattah and dozen others who fought hard for years to bring freedom to Egypt are thrown in jail awaiting military trials. Why would Alaa be treated this way after he and his revolutionary comrades already paid a high price to live in a free country? Why is SCAF (Supreme Council of the Armed Forces) in charge, and for how long? When will elections be held to usher in true reform? Why is SCAF punishing the heroes of the revolution instead of honoring them and ensuring they play an effective role in building their free nation? I don't think the Mubarak regime really fell. It is still alive through such dictatorial practices! The Scary Virtual World of “Me” The offending images are everywhere. From graphic photos of dismembered bodies, to hanging limbs and gushing blood, to the last moaning breath of a shooting victim. Social media platforms have given people the chance to participate in the dissemination of news; but not all set limits when it comes to sharing information or images. Where Was The World Before The Arab Spring? Only a few months ago, the “dictator” and “tyrant” Moammar Gaddafi was “Colonel” Gaddafi, ruler of Libya. An eccentric man for sure who is not sure whether to refer to himself as an Arab or African. A man who ruled Libya with an unmistakable iron fist for generations and was hated by the west, then welcomed by the west, then hated again, then welcomed again, all without an explanation or justification. Just because a deal was made with him at a time or a deal was broken at other times. The Revolution Has Arrived to America Don't believe anyone who says that the new movement in the United States called “Occupy Wall Street” that was born only a few weeks ago has no aim or clear objectives. US lawmakers have slapped the Palestinians with a $200m cut in aid as punishment for pushing ahead with full UN recognition. For many, this shows how out of touch the US Congress is with all the serious warnings against such a move not only from friends of the US but from Israeli officials as well. Israel, Palestine and The World A Moment of Truth Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas defied all odds and officially requested the United Nations recognition of Palestine as an independent member state. Support Ask 5 for 5 (guest blogger Sarah Lenssen) A hungry child in East Africa can't wait. Her hunger consumes her while we decide if we'll respond and save her life. In Somalia, children are stumbling along for days, even weeks, on dangerous roads and with empty stomachs in search of food and water. Their crops failed for the third year in a row. All their animals died. They lost everything. Thousands are dying along the road before they find help in refugee camps. While Arab leaders scramble to keep their populations away from the revolution and uprising fever that has hit the region, the Palestinian leadership is leading its people into a different kind of revolt. It is armed with diplomacy and a focused intent to apply for full United Nations membership this week despite outcries and protests by some of the world's most vocal powers. |
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