· June, 2012

Stories about Digital Activism from June, 2012

Cuba: Clicking Towards the Future

  30 June 2012

Havana's recently concluded Festival Clic, which was designed to discuss Internet and Society in Cuba, has got several bloggers talking about technology and the role it can play in the country's future.

Ecuador: #LoxaEsMas, Ideas that Generate Change

  29 June 2012

#LoxaEsMas ("Loja is more") is an initiative that intends to create new ways to report problems in Loja, Ecuador, by using technology as the main tool. This initiative also strives to find practical solutions to improve the city.

Georgia: Men Can Wash Their Own Feet

Making Connections not only posts a recent video by Georgian bloggers against homophobia, but also one calling for gender equality in the South Caucasus country. The blog notes that the second video, featuring Georgian men saying they can wash their own feet, is in response to a comment by the...

Korean ‘Comfort Women’ Photo Exhibit Sabotaged in Japan

  27 June 2012

A South Korean photographer explains his ordeal in holding an exhibition in Japan that documents aging 'Comfort Women', the term used for Koreans drafted as sex slaves by the Japanese during World War II. Many South Koreans and fans of the photographer online, accused Japanese extremist right-wing groups of refusing to admit their war crimes and attempting to sabotage the art exhibition.

Saudi Arabia: Tweeps to Remember Detained Protester

Following the overthrow of Tunisian and Egyptian presidents, an anonymous call for a "Day of Rage" in Saudi Arabia on March 11, 2011, was spread. In response, the government deployed heavy police forces in all major cities to ensure that any protest remains virtual. One man, Khaled Al-Johani, turned out to protest and was arrested on that same day. Netizens rally to draw attention to his plight.

Arab World: People With Disabilities Raise Their Voices!

An online campaign was launched to shed light on the struggle of people with disabilities and their neglected rights. Campaign founder Abdallah AlShalaqi, an activist from Saudi Arabia said it aims at raising community’s awareness of the rights of people with disabilities; breaking media silence about it; and giving a message to government officials to take action towards this issue.

Armenia: Online Petition to Support LGBT Rights

Following the recent firebombing of a gay-friendly bar in Yerevan as well as homophobic comments from government officials and politicians setting the scene for the aggressive disruption of a diversity rally in the Armenian capital two weeks later, Unzipped draws its readers attention to a new online petition calling for...

Africa: Celebrating Humanity through Photos and Videos

An article highlighting 21 pictures that will restore your humanity recently went viral. Unfortunately, Africans and Africa were absent from all of them. Yet, there is no shortage of great testimonies of human spirit from the African continent. Here are a few photos and videos that show, 'Africa's got Heart' too.

Comoros: Women Barred from Public Beach for Religious Reasons

  26 June 2012

Women are no longer welcome at the beach of Itsandra-Mdjini [fr] reports Mlimadji in Comores-Actualités.  He explains that city officials decided to ban women from the beach at the request of religious leaders.  The beach is managed by the cultural association Twamaya and  has historically been open to everyone without consideration of...

Russia: The War Over World War II

Last Friday, NTV broadcast a controversial film titled, "I Serve the Soviet Union," a film about political prisoners fighting the Nazis only to be murdered by Soviet secret police. The screening lead to a scandal that involved patriotic bloggers, the Minister of Culture, and others. Kevin Rothrock reports.

Puerto Rico: Women and Cyberactivism

  25 June 2012

The feminist coalition Coordinadora Paz para la Mujer has convened people to send contributions (in Spanish) for the next edition of their magazine, which will be dedicated to cyberactivism and feminism. Deadline is July 16, 2012.

Brazil: Fortaleza City Dwellers Demand Liberation of Green Area

  25 June 2012

Inspired by the massive “Veta, Dilma” campaign to protect the Brazilian forests, Fortaleza city dwellers launched “Libera, Luizianne“ urging Mayor Luizianne Lins to free a green area for the creation of Rachel de Queiroz Park [pt]. On June 24, supporters planted wooden crosses on the site, symbolizing the death of...

Egypt: Introducing the MorsiMeter

After 32 years of Hosni Mubarak, Egypt has a new president and a new application to monitor the performance of its newly elected president Mohamed Morsi and the progress in the achievement of the 64 main promises he made during his election campaign.

Hungary: New Freedom of Information Tool

Vastagbőr blog [hu] is promoting the use of atlatszo.hu's new website KiMitTud [‘WhoKnowsWhat’], which allows users to send freedom of information requests to any institutions responsible for spending public funds in Hungary. Vastagbőr wrote: “Those who have ever asked themselves these questions, ‘I wonder how much this cost?’ or ‘Who...

Egypt: Two Camps, One Caricature

I have found no better summary of the current intriguing and backstabbing between the religious establishment on one side and their secularist counterparts on the other than a caricature, distributed first by the Islamists over Facebook, then altered by the other side to show their point of view.

Georgia: Bloggers Against Homophobia

Unzipped: Gay Armenia posts a video by Georgian bloggers against homophobia set to the song F*ck You by Lily Allen. The move comes less than a month after a Gay Pride march in Tbilisi, the Georgian capital, was disrupted by priests and conservative elements in society. The same month a...