Alaa Basatneh
Unspeakable atrocities are happening in Syria. Those who are suffering are given a voice by one remarkable young woman who reminds us of the power of one. One who bravely dares to make a difference. Our host, Jenni Prisk, interviews human rights activist, Alaa Basatneh, who speaks about her relentless efforts to expose the brutal conflict and deadly battles in Syria.
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Excerpts from Interview
These kids (ages 9-10) wrote on their school wall: We Want to Topple the Regime….They were detained by the authorities. They were tortured. One of them was skinned and killed, and his body was returned to his family…. I could not go about my life as if things were normal when this is happening to kids in a country where I was born. So I looked around my room and saw my computer and decided this was the window to helping everyone I can reach through social media.
I want to tell any female activist to not give up no matter how hopeless the road may seem. I have been down that road and know it is a dark tunnel. But I promise at the end of the tunnel there is light.
Biography of Alaa Basatneh
Alaa Basatneh, a Syria native who as a 19-year-old college student in Illinois, was able to mobilize a Syrian revolution from her Chicago bedroom with social media tools that helped smaller protest groups connect into a larger force. Her story was captured in the award-winning documentary, #ChicagoGirl. Basatneh encourages students to share issues they have a passion for and what they’re doing about it.
The interview takes place at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice (IPJ) at the University of San Diego when Alaa was a guest speaker at the annual WorldLink for Youth Conference.
More About WorldLink for Youth
This program connects youth to global affairs and provides opportunities for high school youth from San Diego and Baja Mexico to meet world leaders and experts.
Through WorldLink’s innovative and experiential focus on global education, students learn about issues facing us locally and internationally, and engage in thoughtful discussions about solutions in a forum where their voices are heard and valued.