0:00:27.083,0:00:28.333
Hi.

0:00:28.334,0:00:32.208
Between 1 and 3%

0:00:32.209,0:00:36.647
of the global online content is in Arabic.

0:00:36.667,0:00:41.416
It sounds small, right?[br]But then make it worse.

0:00:41.417,0:00:48.329
If you go to Internet and look to the top[br]10 million websites around the world,

0:00:48.330,0:00:53.875
you'll find that just 0.8%[br]out of them are in Arabic.

0:00:53.876,0:00:58.519
Here it starts to get smaller.[br]But I'm not done yet.

0:00:58.520,0:01:04.294
Actually, we Arabs are doing[br]as good as as Czech Republic here in red.

0:01:04.295,0:01:07.595
But you have to know[br]that in the Czech Republic

0:01:07.596,0:01:10.858
there are roughly about 10 million people.

0:01:12.083,0:01:17.782
We, Arab native speakers,[br]are 422 million people

0:01:17.783,0:01:20.333
living around the world.

0:01:20.334,0:01:23.702
So, why should we care

0:01:23.703,0:01:29.726
and what are the consequences[br]of this fact on our life?

0:01:29.727,0:01:33.979
Actually, maybe we need[br]to care a little bit more.

0:01:35.250,0:01:39.153
And I'll tell you why[br]by telling you a short story.

0:01:39.154,0:01:42.306
I left Syria in 2001.

0:01:42.307,0:01:46.442
I went to France to study Biology[br]at University of Lyon,

0:01:46.443,0:01:51.151
and there, I spent 10 years[br]studying and studying,

0:01:51.152,0:01:54.666
and I had my PhD degree in 2010.

0:01:54.667,0:01:59.708
10 years in France, then I moved from[br]France and went to Cambridge University

0:01:59.709,0:02:05.416
where I worked actually as a researcher[br]for four years now in Babraham Institute.

0:02:05.417,0:02:10.221
And in total, I have worked and studied

0:02:10.222,0:02:13.416
in science, for 14 years.

0:02:13.417,0:02:18.630
14 years, I haven't seen more[br]than 10 Arabic native speakers

0:02:18.631,0:02:21.832
working or studying in this field.

0:02:21.833,0:02:23.736
So this is a problem.

0:02:23.737,0:02:27.672
And this was the sparkle[br]of what I'll tell you about today.

0:02:27.673,0:02:31.859
This is totally our problem,[br]definitely our problem.

0:02:31.860,0:02:37.852
We have, as scientists, the duty[br]to show our people, in the Arab world,

0:02:37.853,0:02:43.153
the importance of science,[br]of research, of scientific research.

0:02:43.154,0:02:45.738
And we need to motivate[br]people, the students

0:02:45.739,0:02:48.018
to get involved[br]in the scientific research.

0:02:48.019,0:02:50.240
We need to push them, to motivate them

0:02:50.241,0:02:53.690
to build a career based[br]on scientific research.

0:02:53.691,0:02:57.278
What I'm saying here might sound[br]really an exaggeration, you know,

0:02:57.279,0:03:00.736
but believe me,[br]it's close enough to the reality.

0:03:00.737,0:03:02.494
What I'm trying to say

0:03:02.495,0:03:07.932
is that the lack of interest[br]in the scientific research,

0:03:07.933,0:03:10.522
which is to a large extent

0:03:10.523,0:03:15.118
associated with the lack[br]of reliable Arabic online content,

0:03:15.119,0:03:20.622
both combined together[br]can explain a lot of our problems.

0:03:20.623,0:03:22.588
Nearly all of our problems.

0:03:22.589,0:03:27.398
Cultural, economical,[br]social [problems], whatever you want.

0:03:27.399,0:03:32.276
So what's our responsibility here,[br]as grown up, educated people?

0:03:33.537,0:03:38.105
To make out of science[br]a priority in the Arab world.

0:03:38.106,0:03:42.505
How can we create new ways[br]to show to our people over there

0:03:42.506,0:03:48.189
how they should ask questions[br]and try to answer it every time,

0:03:48.190,0:03:53.961
and how can we show how life would be[br]without the scientific research.

0:03:53.962,0:03:59.369
It would be boring, trivial,[br]and to a large extent, meaningless.

0:04:00.440,0:04:03.170
So what do we need?[br]And how can it be done?

0:04:03.171,0:04:05.730
Actually, we need three things.

0:04:05.731,0:04:12.424
First of all, we need to explain[br]the latest scientific articles,

0:04:12.425,0:04:17.123
published recently,[br]last week or yesterday.

0:04:17.124,0:04:21.601
And we need to show the importance[br]of these scientific articles.

0:04:21.603,0:04:24.723
and the impact of them on our life.

0:04:24.724,0:04:30.983
The second thing that we need is[br]to show that referring any information

0:04:30.984,0:04:34.662
to its source is very crucial here.

0:04:34.663,0:04:37.515
We shouldn't go and read whatever we want,

0:04:37.516,0:04:40.847
and then we believe it,[br]then go and discuss about it.

0:04:40.848,0:04:43.757
And we suffer of that in the Arab world.

0:04:43.758,0:04:46.476
This is a disease, a real disease.

0:04:46.477,0:04:49.295
And finally, we need to go[br]and speak to people.

0:04:49.296,0:04:51.038
When we speak about science,

0:04:51.039,0:04:54.774
we need to speak in an easy[br]and simple Arabic language.

0:04:54.775,0:04:58.877
Far from that used in media channels.

0:04:58.878,0:05:04.090
When they try to speak about science,[br]they [stiff] and rough Arabic language.

0:05:04.091,0:05:07.385
In short, let's get people motivated.

0:05:07.386,0:05:11.347
Let's get them enjoy science[br]when we talk about it.

0:05:11.348,0:05:16.032
So three years ago,[br]I created a simple Facebook page.

0:05:16.033,0:05:18.000
Yes, simple Facebook page.

0:05:18.001,0:05:21.605
And I called it the Syrian Researchers.

0:05:21.606,0:05:25.338
It aimed to do exactly[br]what I told you just now.

0:05:25.339,0:05:29.667
At the beginning, I really struggled[br]to get people interested in this project.

0:05:29.668,0:05:32.833
No one was really interested,[br]no one was seeing why.

0:05:32.834,0:05:36.577
But later on, people started[br]to join me on this journey.

0:05:36.578,0:05:40.708
People like scientists,[br]medics, architects, artists,

0:05:40.709,0:05:42.637
or even university students,

0:05:42.638,0:05:45.525
all of them decided to join this movement.

0:05:45.526,0:05:50.333
All of them believed in the project,[br]in its value, in the use of it.

0:05:50.334,0:05:52.625
And then, we created a team,

0:05:52.626,0:05:56.822
and this team reorganized[br]the structure of this initiative.

0:05:56.823,0:05:58.910
We created specialized teams.

0:05:58.918,0:06:04.625
And along with the team managers,[br]we set down goals, scheme work, policies.

0:06:04.626,0:06:10.958
As a consequence, we got more attention,[br]and more people started to join us.

0:06:10.959,0:06:15.041
Today, the Syrian Researchers initiative

0:06:15.042,0:06:19.666
has roughly about 300 people[br]working together.

0:06:19.667,0:06:21.791
We are all together.

0:06:21.792,0:06:25.833
Many from Syria,[br]but there are others from Iraq,

0:06:25.834,0:06:28.855
Pakistan, Lebanon, Egypt, and Algeria.

0:06:28.856,0:06:32.358
We are living all around the world,[br]from Japan to Brazil,

0:06:32.359,0:06:35.402
going through Europe[br]and going through the Middle East.

0:06:37.083,0:06:40.166
Despite all of our differences.[br]This is amazing.

0:06:40.167,0:06:42.840
Despite all our differences:

0:06:42.841,0:06:47.485
cultural, social, religion, politics,

0:06:47.486,0:06:50.750
countries, all of that,

0:06:50.751,0:06:52.933
we were all united

0:06:52.934,0:06:56.803
to rewrite science in Arabic

0:06:56.804,0:07:00.024
like our [500 students].

0:07:01.834,0:07:05.869
Later on, we started to become a source

0:07:05.870,0:07:08.875
for reliable scientific information.

0:07:08.876,0:07:12.360
Everyone started to talk[br]about us in the Middle East.

0:07:12.361,0:07:17.333
If you have any question about anything[br]go and ask the Syrian Researchers.

0:07:17.334,0:07:21.208
We have over 100 messages a day.

0:07:21.209,0:07:26.291
You don't need to have a university degree[br]to understand what we're saying.

0:07:26.292,0:07:29.374
Our readers and followers are coming

0:07:29.375,0:07:32.750
from all social levels,[br]all ages, all countries.

0:07:32.761,0:07:34.581
No matter what.

0:07:34.584,0:07:39.124
And you all know what our countries[br]are going through today.

0:07:40.135,0:07:43.995
Despite the political situation[br]that we are living in today,

0:07:43.996,0:07:48.193
despite the fact that everything[br]has to belong to something,

0:07:50.542,0:07:54.126
I'm proud to say it, we managed[br]to be one of the rare places,

0:07:54.127,0:07:59.397
where everyone can talk to everyone[br]about anything forgetting our differences.

0:07:59.398,0:08:03.076
And this is because[br]we created one simple rule.

0:08:03.077,0:08:07.412
In the Syrian Researchers, we talked[br]about everything related to knowledge,

0:08:07.413,0:08:11.958
as far as it doesn't involve[br]religion or politics.

0:08:11.959,0:08:14.251
And guess what? It worked.

0:08:15.792,0:08:21.374
So after the Facebook page,[br]we created the website.

0:08:21.375,0:08:24.750
We started with 200 dollars

0:08:24.751,0:08:28.791
and we created today,[br]the Syrian Researchers website,

0:08:28.792,0:08:33.707
which is considered as number one[br]scientific Arabic website in the world.

0:08:35.501,0:08:38.335
This is in terms of visitors,[br]and in terms of content.

0:08:38.336,0:08:41.457
We have over 1 million visitors per month.

0:08:41.457,0:08:47.518
And we have published so far over[br]5,600 articles, covering too many fields,

0:08:47.519,0:08:51.293
20 fields, from medicine, to biology,[br]to whatever you want,

0:08:51.294,0:08:53.908
including even music and art.

0:08:55.000,0:08:58.041
Our team is working hard day and night,

0:08:58.042,0:09:03.401
in order to find, prepare, and translate[br]the best scientific articles

0:09:04.792,0:09:09.293
in order to increase this knowledge[br]that we need in the Arab world.

0:09:09.294,0:09:11.381
And our impact is growing.

0:09:12.834,0:09:17.958
And honestly, today we have more than[br]700,000 people following us on Facebook

0:09:17.959,0:09:22.333
and over 40,000 following us on Twitter.

0:09:22.334,0:09:24.459
And we have new projects as well.

0:09:24.460,0:09:29.542
We are about creating the first[br]Arabic platform for scientific research.

0:09:29.918,0:09:31.958
It's called "Menares".

0:09:31.959,0:09:37.750
And it's a platform for the scientists[br]in the Middle East, the north of Africa,

0:09:37.751,0:09:41.084
in order to be able to exchange[br]knowledge and skills

0:09:41.085,0:09:44.030
in an easy, fast, and effective way.

0:09:46.125,0:09:52.483
So it sounds like it's wonderful,[br]it's beautiful; it's a pink world.

0:09:52.484,0:09:54.500
Everything was easy.

0:09:54.501,0:09:56.751
We went through it[br]like a fish in the sea.

0:09:56.752,0:09:59.998
It wasn't the case. I hoped[br]that it was, but it wasn't.

0:09:59.999,0:10:03.834
Actually, you have to know we are[br]not here to just talk about science,

0:10:03.835,0:10:09.500
we are not here to introduce new[br]scientific news, or new scientific facts.

0:10:09.501,0:10:11.668
No. What we are trying to do here

0:10:11.669,0:10:16.249
is to introduce a new way[br]of thinking to the Arab world.

0:10:16.250,0:10:21.082
And new scientific way of thinking[br]that might lead us to free us

0:10:21.083,0:10:23.875
from the nonobjective thinking,

0:10:23.876,0:10:29.260
and the pseudosciences[br]affecting and infecting our society.

0:10:30.751,0:10:34.564
And you can understand[br]how down we feel sometimes,

0:10:34.565,0:10:39.918
when those people who refuse[br]these changes start to fire back nicely.

0:10:41.083,0:10:45.833
But fortunately, we are managing[br]what we are doing today,

0:10:45.834,0:10:50.291
and the enemies of yesterday[br]are our friends today.

0:10:50.292,0:10:54.587
Some of those people[br]who used to be our enemies,

0:10:54.588,0:10:57.783
some of them aligned themselves with us.

0:10:57.784,0:11:01.460
Some of them today send us messages,[br]"Please, can I join your movement?"

0:11:01.461,0:11:04.485
Some of them are doing what we are doing.

0:11:04.486,0:11:08.835
They are following our example to spread[br]knowledge and science in the Arab world.

0:11:08.836,0:11:11.390
So it worked. Finally it worked.

0:11:13.001,0:11:14.500
So what's left?

0:11:14.501,0:11:17.349
As you know, we need[br]to increase the reliability

0:11:17.350,0:11:19.936
of our Arabic scientific online content,

0:11:19.937,0:11:23.295
and we need to continue[br]introducing our population

0:11:23.296,0:11:25.260
to the scientific methodology.

0:11:25.261,0:11:30.708
That would lead the societies to be[br]more objective in their thinking,

0:11:30.709,0:11:35.249
hence, [they will be] more willing[br]to accept their differences.

0:11:35.250,0:11:40.875
And in the long term, we are trying[br]to reach out to a broader audience,

0:11:40.876,0:11:46.161
through launching[br]an Arabic speaking scientific channel

0:11:46.162,0:11:48.710
to motivate people[br]to get interested more in science,

0:11:48.711,0:11:50.792
and to prepare the financial conditions

0:11:50.793,0:11:55.074
in order to help them, guide them[br]in order to do science.

0:11:55.075,0:11:59.124
And this is by creating[br]grants and scholarships.

0:11:59.125,0:12:03.250
In the Syrian Researchers,[br]we are at the beginning of a long road.

0:12:03.251,0:12:07.082
We have [to fight] a battle[br]against the ignorance.

0:12:07.083,0:12:10.298
And we don't pretend[br]to say that we know everything.

0:12:10.299,0:12:13.214
A scientist, by definition,[br]doesn't understand

0:12:13.215,0:12:16.876
what he or she is trying to understand.

0:12:16.877,0:12:20.889
We share with our people

0:12:20.890,0:12:24.939
what we have learnt[br]from you, from your universities,

0:12:24.940,0:12:27.964
here in Italy, in Europe,[br]in the whole world;

0:12:27.965,0:12:32.550
we are trying to show our students[br]over there an example to follow.

0:12:34.000,0:12:37.375
Charles de Gaulle, the founder[br]of the French Republic,

0:12:37.378,0:12:41.082
had said once, during a crisis,

0:12:41.083,0:12:46.291
"In France, we don't have oil,[br]but we have ideas."

0:12:46.292,0:12:51.251
Here I want to say something.[br]We are people that are really smart.

0:12:51.252,0:12:53.241
Believe me we are smart.

0:12:53.250,0:12:56.168
And we have something[br]much bigger than just oil.

0:12:56.169,0:13:00.708
We have as well the ambition[br]to achieve our ideas.

0:13:00.709,0:13:04.331
Now think what we can do with all of that.

0:13:06.626,0:13:12.249
Behind me, you can see[br]the pictures of all my colleagues.

0:13:12.250,0:13:15.416
Not all of them, unfortunately.

0:13:15.417,0:13:21.450
Here, I want you think[br]five seconds. Just five seconds.

0:13:21.451,0:13:23.601
From everyone of you here,

0:13:23.602,0:13:28.031
from everyone who's going to watch[br]this video to think five seconds

0:13:28.032,0:13:30.416
about what they are doing.

0:13:30.417,0:13:34.726
Some of them are living[br]in the focus of the world.

0:13:34.727,0:13:37.875
Some of them don't have electricity,

0:13:37.876,0:13:42.605
don't have an Internet connection[br]for long [hours in a] day.

0:13:43.876,0:13:47.041
But because they believe that the world

0:13:47.042,0:13:50.622
that we are living today is the fruit

0:13:50.623,0:13:55.166
of the lack of knowledge, of ignorance,

0:13:56.667,0:13:59.009
they have all decided to fight

0:14:01.839,0:14:04.239
within a new kind of fight.

0:14:05.000,0:14:08.833
It's a fight where we can show

0:14:08.834,0:14:12.213
a new face, a better face of our countries

0:14:13.334,0:14:15.882
not the face that you are used to see,

0:14:17.292,0:14:20.601
[but] a face we can be proud of.

0:14:20.602,0:14:25.417
A face which is knowledge[br]and not ignorance.

0:14:26.169,0:14:28.479
Thank you very much, thank you.

0:14:28.480,0:14:30.147
(Applause)