How Iraq’s Fresh Blogger Network Promises to Model a New Country

Call me a dreamer, but if there is one thing we need to thank social media for, it’s the chance to humanize the enemy. And most importantly, the opportunity to talk to him.

That’s what young Shireen Mohamed is setting out to do in her blog “We are all citizens”, a project that aims to build bridges of support for minorities in a country where sectarian tensions are part of everyday life.

Her project is a part of the Iraqi Network for Social Media (INSM), a project spearheaded by International Media Support which offers young bloggers training, legal advice, and the chance to network with their counterparts across religion, ethnicity and political beliefs.

“There are not many bloggers in Iraq and today it’s important to hear the voice of youth; the world must know that Iraq is not just war and bombs, there is a life in Iraq”, says future blogger Zahraa Ali.

As his colleague Omar Alrawi asserts, “you cannot fake it with a blog”.

For more information — Iraqi Network for Social Media (INSM)