Excellencies, colleagues,
I am very pleased to co-host this event together with my friends from Lebanon and Canada.
We have a terrific panel, all of which are true experts in their field.
We hope this will make for good discussions on a topic that’s a bit different, and hopefully intriguing: social unrest.
In preparing myself for the event I looked up social unrest and its meaning.
I found: disruption, disturbance, discontentment, anxiety, riots and protest.
Plus many more alternative phrases.
But what does social unrest really mean and how does it manifest?
We have, over the last couple of years, witnessed many different forms of social unrest, take place in a range of different societies.
The sources are of course varied, but one common element in today’s protest movements is the use of social media.
This new tool has changed and shaped the way social unrest unfolds.
I look forward to exploring this aspect in more detail today.
Colleagues,
Social unrest is not something new, but we are curious to look closer at what has changed. And what the numerous protest movements around the world tell us about the political contracts between people and their leaders today.
So without further delay let’s dive into discussions!
It is my honour to pass you over to the renowned author, columnist, and three-time Pulitzer Prize winner Thomas Friedman. Who will guide us through discussions today.