A singular protest by a Tunisian street vendor ignited rebellion, resistance and regime change that spurred a tumultuous year across the Arab world. Now, armed with new media, fresh and vibrant voices are emerging all across the region to challenge old political control and some cultural traditions. What is often called the “cradle of civilization” is in a state of change.

Is this truly an Arab Spring? Revolutions can be hijacked, crushed or abandoned. Where are the uprisings today and where will they go from here? Who are the new powerbrokers? What is the role of the Islamists, women and social media? Are the nations in transition any closer to stability, democracy and freedom?
From the frontlines of the Arab uprisings, activists, scholars and diplomats will come together to explore these pressing issues in this historic time.

Hala Gorani photo credit: CNN/Mark Hill

This event, moderated by

Hala Gorani, CNN Anchor & Correspondent

will feature panelists:

Lamees Dhaif
Journalist & Activist

Wael Ghonim
Activist & Google Executive
Author, Revolution 2.0

Carrie Rosefsky Wickham
Associate Professor of Political Science, Emory University,
Author, Mobilizing Islam: Religion, Activism, and Political Change

* Moderator and panelists may be added and are subject to change.

Information about our moderator and panelists:

Hala Gorani, CNN Anchor & Correspondent
Hala Gorani is an anchor and correspondent for CNN International and is based at the network`s headquarters in Atlanta. She anchors the 1300ET edition of the news program International Desk, and also goes into the field to report on major breaking news stories. Hala has reported from every country in the Middle East including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian territories.

In late June, she was part of a small team of journalists allowed into Syria for the first time since the protests began to cover the situation there. She previously reported extensively from Jordan and Egypt and has been instrumental in CNN’s coverage of the uprisings in the Arab world. In 2009, she presented The Middle East Challenge, a special hour-long program that took an insightful and thought-provoking look into the problems and promise facing the Middle East.
Follow Hala on

Twitter: @HalaGorani
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Lamees Dhaif, Journalist & Activist

Lamees Dhaif is a journalist from Bahrain, who is active in the Bahraini resistance campaign. Known for her political and social criticism, she has written in various newspapers in the Persian Gulf region; but has been banned from writing since the start of the revolution in Bahrain due to her participation in the opposition movement.

Dhaif became famous when she presented a program on Al-Rai, a private television channel in Kuwait. The program tackled taboo topics in the region like poverty, sadism, prostitution, corruption, and inequality. In 2009, a legal case was filed against her after she harshly criticized corrupt judges; however, the case was suspended because of pressure from both local and international organizations.

Dhaif is the recipient of several awards including the Excellence Award in Journalism in 2008 in the second regional Conference on Women, and was honored as best writer by the Women`s Union on the International Women`s Day in 2009. She participated in the 2011 Yahoo! Business and Human Rights Summit on Women & Digital/Social Media and attended several conferences about the role of media in the Arab Spring. She blogs and is also active on social media.
Follow Lamees on Twitter: @lameesdhaif

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Wael Ghonim, Activist & Google Executive
Author, Revolution 2.0

Wael Ghonim is one of the key figures who emerged during the uprisings in Egypt. In the summer of 2010, he anonymously created a Facebook page to protest the death of an Egyptian man at the hands of security forces. The page quickly garnered an immense following and helped spur the mobilization of Egypt’s youth. As the protests grew in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, Ghonim was captured and detained for twelve days. He gave a speech on national television after his release as the protests continued to surge. Four days later, the president of Egypt surrendered power.

Ghonim was born in Cairo, and earned a degree in computer engineering from Cairo University in 2004 and an MBA from the American University in Cairo in 2007. He joined Google in 2008, eventually becoming the head of marketing for Google Middle East and North Africa. He is currently on sabbatical from Goggle to launch a nongovernmental organization supporting education and technology in Egypt. His new book, Revolution 2.0 is a memoir that was released in January 2012.
Follow Wael on Twitter: @Ghonim

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Carrie Rosefsky Wickham
Associate Professor of Political Science, Emory University
Author, Mobilizing Islam: Religion, Activism, and Political Change in Egypt
Carrie Rosefsky Wickham is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Emory University. She is also the author of Mobilizing Islam: Religion Activism, and Political Change in Egypt. Dr. Wickham`s primary area of specialty is the politics of developing countries, with a regional focus on the Middle East. Her current research explores the origins of political opposition in authoritarian settings, focusing on the rise of Islamic activism in Egypt and other Arab countries. Her research also examines the conditions for the political integration of “anti-system” parties in the Arab world, based on intra-regional and cross-regional comparison.

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Additional tickets may also be available beginning at 5:30 pm – based on availability. If you have pre-registered, please present your registration confirmation upon arrival. Seating will be based on time of arrival, doors open at 5:30pm.

The Dialogues support the James Weldon Johnson Institute of Emory University and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights .

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CNN DIALOGUES is a community forum that aims to highlight diverse ideas and perspectives on the most significant issues and events shaping our time. It is a place where we address shared challenges and concerns to foster a dialogue of learning, understanding and hope. Our mission is to come together to analyze and reflect on everything from the arts to the economy, from human rights to health and sexuality. The topics are limitless. We will explore how global events have local impact; and how having a dialogue that bridges our differences will help us collaborate to create solutions and opportunities for a shared future.

CNN Dialogues will take place in various venues around Atlanta, the capital of the South and a city of change. In addition to this dialogue, two more are planned for 2012, and three for 2013.

For more information contact:
jwji@emory.edu or call 404.712.6885
icanady@civilandhumanrights.org or call 404.991.6988.