‘Mubtada wa khabar’ is a collaborative platform that aims at bringing together the regional actors of knowledge in order to invigorate thought in the Arab world.
Literature being an essential vehicle of culture and a vital element of thought, mubtada.org aims at contributing to the development of the book industry by providing continuous information, tools for local and international diffusion and promotion, as well as homegrown guidance, best practices, and pragmatic standards that will empower stakeholders to meet international standards.
The tool implemented to achieve this goal is a web-based free collaborative platform called ‘mubtada wa khabar’.
mubtada wa khabar is a project that was matured over the past 3 years. It is based on the experiences of Nadim Tarazi, founder of the ‘La Maison du Livre’ Lebanese association, and Yasmina Jraissati, founder and manager of RAYA agency for Arabic literature.
Nadim’s work had primarily focused on youth literature, and Yasmina’s on general, or adult, fiction and non fiction. However, their goals being quite similar it’swhen it came to the creation of this platform that they decided to join forces.
After years of hesitation, Beirut World Book Capital 2009 turned out to be quite a trigger! The international major event was perceived by both parties as a unique opportunity to give life to this very ambitious project. In the summer of 2008, after intense brainstorming sessions, it was decided that the adventure was worthwhile. The project was submitted to the Beirut World Book Capital committee in the fall.
In January 2009, the project was accepted by the Beirut World Book Capital ministerial committee. Mubtada.org was going to receive a part of the funds that would allow it to see the light of day.
This platform has been supported for the first step by Beirut World Book Capital 2009, and the Lebanese ministry of culture and French Embassy in the context of the ‘FSP’ (Fond de Solidarité Prioriatire) for reading and youth literature.
Today, Yasmina Jraissati is lookinf for means of developments, in the frame of public service if possible, in a partnership with the Bibliothèque Nationale de France (French National Library)
For more informations, please contact yasmina@mubtada.org
