This quarter, our programs reached new audiences with ideas that inspire critical thinking, defend access to education, and give young people the tools to build freer, more informed societies.
Our mission is to restore that power by keeping knowledge open and alive.
Deny anyone reliable information, and you will have wrecked his whole power of thought.”
Mamdouh Adwan,
Syrian playwright
Expanding Access to Knowledge: House of Wisdom 2.0
House of Wisdom 2.0 continues to make knowledge accessible to Arabic readers everywhere. Since its launch, our translated content has reached more than 1 billion cumulative views, bringing science, philosophy, and free thought to millions.
This quarter’s highlights:
- 415 Arabic-language articles reaching 16 million readers
- Pashto articles reaching 320,000 readers
- Farsi/Dari articles reaching 17,000 readers
Countering Misinformation
Together with the Future of Free Speech, we translated and shared the Counterspeech and Disinformation Toolkits across the Middle East with practical strategies to promote constructive dialogue online.
New Book Releases
Anthem, by Ayn Rand. 1,000 printed copies were distributed to universities, libraries, and publishers in Iraq and Kurdistan
An Introduction to Economic Inequality, by Eamonn Butler.
An Introduction to Trade and Globalization, also by Eamonn Butler.
These translations expand access to ideas about liberty, opportunity, and human potential — subjects often missing in Arabic-language publishing.
What the Arab World is Reading
In the past year, the four most downloaded books from House of Wisdom reached 15,000 readers — a remarkable figure in a region where most serious nonfiction sells fewer than 500 printed copies.
Each translation opens space for curiosity, dialogue, and independent thought across the Arabic-speaking world.
This quarter, our feature Philosophy and Freedom: Arab Responses to Ayn Rand explored how thinkers across the region are re-engaging with the philosophical roots of freedom and progress. Meanwhile, The Books the Taliban Doesn’t Want You to Read revealed a copy of the Taliban’s banned book list, exposing how censorship is used to control what Afghans can learn.
Open Conversations: Bel Arabi
Bel Arabi continues to lead open discussions about democracy, governance, and free expression.
- Episodes on Iran and Al Qaeda, and Farah Antoun have reached 6 million views.
- Podcasts on Iran and the Nuclear Talks and Federalism in Syria have drawn 3.1 million listeners.
This growing reach proves that open, fact-based dialogue in Arabic is thriving.
Defending Education Under the Taliban: Underground Schools in Afghanistan
Despite censorship, internet shutdowns, and growing restrictions, our Underground Schools continue to educate Afghan girls who are banned from learning.
From July to December 2025, 2,300 students attended 36 classrooms led by 53 teachers, including 250 girls who joined after losing access to online learning.
We’ve introduced program additions this quarter:
- Weekly reading sessions and enrichment seminars
- Motivational and psychological support for girls under repression
- “Happy Monday” — a safe space for girls aged 6–12 to learn and play
Beyond the Classroom
- 40 graduates have launched their own small businesses
- 63 graduates are now teaching in other education centers
Entrepreneurship and Innovation: Building Local Solutions
On June 25 in Erbil, IBB and the Rwanga Foundation released findings from a joint research project examining challenges faced by young entrepreneurs in Kurdistan.
In partnership with ECHO, the project gathered firsthand insights from business leaders, identifying systemic barriers and proposing community-driven solutions.
Through our Innovation Hub, IBB has supported more than 250 youth-led projects across the region — from sustainable farming in Iraq to women-led design enterprises in Afghanistan.
Featured Projects
- Hydrolife and Ecofruits: Hydroponics and AI: Farming Innovation in Kurdistan
- Artijaan: Afghan Women Rebuilding Their Lives Through Craft
- Picture This Afghanistan, Voices of Science, Afghan Journalists in Exile Network and Humans of Afghanistan: Afghans Resist the Taliban’s War on Knowledge and Cultural Memory
Strengthening Democracy: Iraqi Democracy Observatory
In September, IBB helped launch the Iraqi Democracy Observatory, officially unveiled during the International Day of Democracy in Baghdad (Sept 14–15).
The Observatory is an independent civil entity dedicated to monitoring and analyzing Iraq’s democratic performance — giving citizens and policymakers transparent insights into the country’s progress and challenges.
Its mission: to strengthen accountability, encourage civic participation, and promote evidence-based reform.
Journalism Without Fear: Middle East Uncovered
IBB’s independent publication Middle East Uncovered continues to challenge censorship and elevate regional voices.
This quarter, the outlet reached 9,000 subscribers and 80,000 monthly readers. Its exclusive investigation into Russia’s recruitment of Iraqi men went viral after being picked up by Al Sumaria TV, fueling nationwide discussion and showcasing the impact of fearless, fact-driven reporting.
New Section: Practical Policies
We’ve launched Practical Policies , a new editorial series featuring real-world solutions from experts and reformers across the Middle East. The series highlights tangible, evidence-based approaches to governance, development, and freedom of expression.
New Contributors
Middle East Uncovered is expanding its network of bold, independent voices:
Hamza Howidy, Palestinian dissident and IBB Fellow whose writing cuts through both propaganda and polite pretense, offering unfiltered insight into life, politics, and resistance in the region.
→ Read his latest piece: Gaza’s Competing Militias Guarantee Perpetual Chaos
Iram Ramzan, British journalist and commentator whose work has appeared in the Spectator, Sunday Times, and Daily Mail. Founder of Sedaa and co-host of Taking the Myth, she brings sharp analysis to stories on diaspora culture, displacement, and identity.
→ Read her feature: How Terror and Fear Are Testing Britain’s Social Fabric
Ammar Abdulhamid, Syrian-American writer and pro-democracy activist exiled in 2005 for his criticism of the Assad regime. Founder of the Tharwa Foundation, he covers Syria, regional geopolitics, and human rights.
→ Read his article: The Shifting Global Order and Its Implications for the Middle East.
With fearless reporting and new voices, Middle East Uncovered continues to challenge censorship, confront disinformation, and defend the truth.
Voices for Freedom: Global Engagement
IBB founder Faisal Al Mutar continues to share the organization’s mission around the world.
This summer, Faisal met with prominent figures in Germany to strengthen alliances that promote freedom and pluralism.
During the Global Free Speech Summit earlier this month, he stood alongside one of our Afghan teachers to share her powerful story of courage and resilience.
At the 2025 College Freedom Forum at Tufts University, Faisal spoke on why democratic values must be taught, not imposed. He also joined verterans and masters degree students at the University of Austin, challenging them to think critically about freedom in their own societies.
In conversation with Winston Marshall, Faisal confronted the rise of extremism, the failures of foreign intervention, and the transformative role of education and open dialogue in building free societies.
Faisal al Mutar and Kai Wegner, Mayor of Berlin
The National Interest published an essay co-authored by Faisal and Jennifer Brick Murtazashvili, titled Reimagining US Foreign Aid as a Tool for Change. The piece calls for a bold rethinking of how the West supports developing nations:
From Iraq to Afghanistan, foreign aid has often deepened instability — we need a model based on entrepreneurship, not dependency.”
IBB’s impact continues to expand through its network of partners and contributors who are shaping essential global conversations on freedom, justice, and human rights:
In More to Her Story, IBB’S Olivia Cuthbert profiles Taban Shoresh, a survivor of genocide in Iraq who now leads efforts to support Yazidi women.
Also in More to Her Story, IBB Lead Editor Reid Newton examines the International Criminal Court’s first-ever gender persecution case in The ICC Is Pursuing Charges of Gender Persecution Against the Taliban. Will It Succeed? — a potential turning point for global accountability on women’s rights.
What’s Next
In the months ahead, Ideas Beyond Borders will open new frontiers of knowledge. Through House of Wisdom 2.0, we’ll bring the timeless ideas of innovation, reason, and economic freedom to life in Arabic, Kurdish, Pashto, and Farsi/DarI languages long deprived of such access. Each translation is a quiet act of rebellion against ignorance and control.
We’re also building a bridge to the future through education with decentralized technologies — tools that teach young people not only how to earn, but how to think freely, act independently, and own their destinies.
Our Underground Schools will continue to defy the odds, expanding digital learning and mentorship for teachers and girls who refuse to be silenced. They are the architects of a new Middle East — one built not on obedience, but on opportunity.
From translation to technology, every IBB initiative carries the same promise: to make knowledge accessible, opportunity real, and freedom irreversible.
Support the Mission
Across the Middle East, thinkers, teachers, and creators are pushing back against censorship with something stronger than force — ideas. From Kabul’s underground classrooms to innovation across the region, they’re building a future grounded in knowledge and human dignity.
At Ideas Beyond Borders, we stand with them — translating ideas into action and education into freedom.
Your support keeps that progress alive.