Lina Ben Mhenni - Oslo Freedom Forum 2011

Despite her role as a leading Tunisian blogger and cyber activist, Ben Mhenni asserts that the importance of social media in the Arab revolutions is exaggerated. They certainly helped in bringing people together to oppose dictators, but other methods of communication and technologies were critical. Cell phones, cameras, and traditional news outlets like Al Jazeera were also key in sparking the uprisings. Ben Mhenni's primary message is that the outside world needs to keep paying attention to events in Tunisia and other Arab countries in which the revolutions seem to have ended. The state of affairs in Tunisia now is actually not much different than it was before the "Jasmine Revolution." After people took to the streets to protest the dismissal of a former government official, the new administration used tear gas and live ammunition to quell the unrest. Two days before Ben Mhenni's speech, a curfew was reinstated. Although it may seem on the surface that the Tunisian revolution has succeeded, Ben Mhenni knows there is still a long road ahead before true freedom is reached. Yet she has faith, particularly in the Tunisian youth, to continue the fight that she was one of the first to embrace—a struggle that the rest of the world cannot afford to forget.

Read Lina's blog here: http://atunisiangirl.blogspot.com/

Follow Lina on Twitter @benmhennilina

Follow us @OsloFreedomFrm

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

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• Lina Ben Mhenni
• Tunisia
• A Tunisian Girl
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• Oslo Freedom Forum
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• Ali
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• Arab spring
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• revolution

[tounsibardo]

@Abbiecoll1 ..however ,she speaks many other languages..can you do that?

[tounsibardo]

@Abbiecoll1 ..however ,she speaks many other languages..can you do that?.

[Jim415S]

Speaking before a large, formal audience is frightening. Doing so in a foreign language, much more so. Publicly standing up to the police and government shows even more courage.

Her speech was very understandable, and she had something worthwhile to say.

Tunisians should be very proud of the fact that they held a reasonably good, first-ever election on Oct 23rd. But they will have to very work hard to maintain human rights for all in the future. Lina understands this and spoke about it. Bravo!

[levvinski]

Lina, put your damned "Arabic revolutions" into your stupid ass! You are still waiting that those "revolutions" should bring "freedom, democracy and human rights"? You'll see very "democratic" SHARIA in each of the post-revolutionary Arabic country. Brainless cow. ما ثماش مخ برأسك يا لينا

[mahafreed]

@majdiom it's ridiculous that you can't spell ridiculous

[H4X0R0Dx]

Accent doesn't matter, I still understand her the message is more important !

[hexmedi]

@MrMsMegres yeah lol.

I speak English a lot better than my teacher tbh.. unfortunately

[MrMsMegres]

Very bad accent for someone teaching English to undergraduates....

[mahajazz]

@Abbiecoll1 yes , her english accent is sooo rediculus i mean come on , everything is good, why just the accent is like SHIT !!!!

[shiimera]

she suck!