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BBC News:الشباب اللبناني بين التفاؤل و الحذر
01.2025

| BBC Xtra hosts CEO, Nader Akoum, to discuss the emergence of Studio Madane in Lebanon, what its goals are, the situation of the Lebanese youth in the current political landscape. Akoum was asked if he is hopeful with the changes in the balance of power in Lebanon, and was asked about his upbringing to contextualize Studio Madane’s work. He was asked about the Social Entrepreneurhsip Lab 2025 by Studio Madane and how it aligns with their body of work, and the Collective Identity Project by the Youth Politicians of Studio Madane.

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L’Orient Le-Jour: Can Lebanon‘s Youth Rekindle a National Identity

12.2024

| “Amid the devastating war that plunged Lebanon into deeper instability, the nation’s youth were once again at the forefront of its compounded crises. The conflict, which intensified sectarian divides and shattered remnants of trust in state institutions, exacerbated the economic despair and disconnection already felt by the younger generations.

As the cease-fire holds and Lebanon inches toward yet another uncertain future, questions about national identity and political participation have reemerged with urgency. These concerns lie at the heart of ongoing efforts to engage youth in socio-political transformation, such as the Collective Identity Project, launched in May 2024 by Studio Madane, a youth-led organization dedicated to engaging Lebanon’s younger generations in socio-political transformation, while examining the fractured nature of Lebanese identity and its impact on political disengagement”.

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Euro-Mediterranean Economists’ Association’s CREACT4MED: Studio Madane as Best Practice in the CCI

01.2024

| Studio Madane was announced the first award winner of the Best Practices competition in the Creative & Cultural Industries in 2024. The competition was held in multiple Euro-Mediterranean countries with a first place award from each country. In Lebanon, Studio Madane received a short listing from the CREACT4MED Regional Committee and the highest number of public vote. The award entailed a 5000 euro award that was entirely used for Studio Madane’s following Learning Program called the Social Entrepreneurship lab 2025.

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Al Rawiya: The Sect: An Intrinsic Personal Identity or a Political Strategy - الطائفة: هوية شخصية متأصلة أم استراتيجية سياسية؟
10.2023

| The focal point of debate amongst researchers and scholars was common: whether the sectarianist system of ruling stems from the ancient/ ipso-facto/inherent nature of identity and ethnicity that is deeply embedded in society and unchangeable, or it is an essential aspect of modernity, wherein sectarianism is nothing but the product of a systemic construction.

كانت النقطة المحورية للنقاش بين الباحثين والعلماء شائعة: ما إذا كان النظام الطائفي للحكم ينبع من الطبيعة القديمة/الفعلية/المتأصلة للهوية والعرقية المتأصلة بعمق في المجتمع وغير القابلة للتغيير، أو أنه جانب أساسي من الحداثة، حيث الطائفية ليست سوى نتاج بناء نظامي

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Al Rawiya: When Anger Meets Aerosol - عندما الغضب والرذاذ يلتقيان
09.2023

| Interestingly though, during the aftermaths of the October 2019 Revolution and the Port Explosion, political art produced by individuals with resumes comparable to Sahnaoui’s were few and far between. At that point in time, a familiar phenomenon was regaining traction: the average Lebanese person, armed only with a spray can and a grievance, had usurped the role that was earlier occupied by experienced artists.

لكن من المثير للاهتمام أنه في أعقاب ثورة أكتوبر 2019 وانفجار المرفأ، كان الفن السياسي الذي أنتجه أفراد ذو سير ذاتية مماثلة لسيرة الصحناوي قليلًا ومتباعدًا. في ذلك الوقت، كانت ظاهرة مألوفة تستعيد زخمها: لقد اغتصب الشخص اللبناني العادي الدور الذي كان يشغله في السابق فنانون ذوو خبرة، حيث أضحى لكل فرد لديه علبة رش وشكوى سياسية القدرة على صنع لوحة فنية من محيطه

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Friedrich Naumann Foundation: The Collective Identity Project: Youth in Politics

09.2023

| " Freedom, diversity, and education are the cornerstones of Lebanese identity. In collaboration with young politicians committee at Studio Madane, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) in Beirut has undertaken an exploration of Lebanon’s collective identity, an area that has not been thoroughly examined in the modern era.“

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Al Rawiya: A Threatened Community that Threatens - تهديدات من مجتمع مهدد
08.2023

| “The Lebanese populous areas continue to bear the brunt of all the challenges the country faces. The Bourj Hammoud area is a prime example that reflects a delicate balance between the need for development and organisation, and the challenges that hinder all efforts. Despite being an open area for all, and despite the diversity of sects and religions, it’s not devoid of biases. Yet, in this context, the importance of change manifests through the synergy of civil efforts and the breaking of dependency routine.

لا تزال المناطق الشعبية اللبنانية مكسر عصا لكل ما تواجهه البلاد من تحديات، وتعتبر منطقة برج حمود الصورة الأمثل التي تعكس توازناً هشاً بين الحاجة إلى التنمية والتنظيم، والتحديات التي تعترض على كل ما يبذل من جهود. وعلى الرغم من كونها منطقة مفتوحة للجميع لا تعترض على خلفية اتساع المذاهب والأديان إلا أنها لا تخلو من الانحيازية، والحاجة الى التغيير تقف بين تكاتف الجهود المدنية وكسر روتين التبعية

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Naqd Politics: Studio Madane and FNF’s ‘Beirut River: Portrait & Injection’ Exhibition, Igniting Urban Transformation

08.2023

| “The exhibition served as a catalyst for action plans and meaningful discussions, sparking conversations among visitors about the future of our neighborhoods and the role of civic empowerment for political transformation. It presented an opportunity to envision a Lebanon with human centered, inclusive, and functional institutions.”

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Al Rawiya: ‘To Power’ - Urban Injections

07.2023

| “The juggle between relying on the state for resources and not is one that shakes our relationships with the state, our approaches in public management, and the necessary decision to evoke institutional change. Can we dethrone the state, and flip the balance of power, by simply cutting all ties with it?”

إن التوفيق بين الاعتماد على الدولة في الموارد وعدم الاعتماد عليها هو الذي يهز علاقاتنا معها، ومقارباتها في الإدارة العامة،والقرار الضروري لإحداث التغيير المؤسسي .فهل يمكننا الاستغناء عن الدولة بمجرد قطع كل العلاقات معها و باستبدال موازين القوى

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Friedrich Naumann Foundation: From Promises to Action: Exhibition & Panel Discussion on Political Transformation in the City
07.2023

| "Amidst the demotivation of the youth, the desperation and deprivation faced by citizens, and the challenges posed by brain drain, this youth-led event stands as a determination to return politics to the street and react with sustainable movements," said Nader Akoum, Founder and Programs Strategist of Studio Madane. "We believe that by empowering urban communities, engaging in meaningful dialogue, and activating ecosystems with pragmatic action plans, we can restore our beloved cities."

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Al Rawiya: ‘Sidewalk as a Space for Disposal’: A Reflection

06.2023

| “…it’s as if we live somewhere far away from Lebanon,” cried one of the residents of Karantina as he lamented about the lack of attention from those that are responsible for reforming the man’s living conditions. The morphology of Karantina experienced dramatic changes at its borders: the boundaries, over time, transformed from very fluid and permeable, to very dense infrastructural fabrics that prohibit easy ins and outs.”

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Conversas Barcelona: Lebanon, Revolution, & Studio Madane

04.2023

| “ There's something about cities that can never be constructed," remarked Nader Akoum during his interactive conversation with the Conversas Barcelona community. Akoum, a Lebanese architect and activist, presented some basics of Lebanon's struggles, revolution, golden age, and queer representation, as well as an explanation of the reasons behind establishing Studio Madane, his Beirut-based sociopolitical studio. ”

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Friedrich Naumann Foundation: Beirut River: Portrait & Injection

01.2023

| " ‘Does reform, the promise of Lebanon's leaders, affect people’s political decision-making when it arrives from a political alternative?’ This research question was responded to transversely via the efforts of four working groups: The Urbanists & Environmentalists, Citizen Volunteers, Artists & Laborers, and the Documenters and Visual Creators working groups. The findings were made through mappings, surveys, documented conversations, short films, and experiments with architecture.”

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L’Orient Le-Jour: Studio Madané, une initiative de jeunes pour redessiner la société de demain

12.2022

| “Lorsque Nader Akoum présente Studio Madané, une organisation sociopolitique qu’il a fondée en 2019 et qui est exclusivement dirigée par des jeunes voulant opérer un changement au sein de la société, on sent tout son désir de continuer de se battre pour son pays”.

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Beirut Madinati Facebook Page: Online Launch of Studio Madane

12.2021

| Beirut Madinati offers its platform to the youth of Studio Madane to increase their exposure at the onset of their creation. The webinar is intended to gather Studio Madane members with Beirut Madinati members in order to get to know about Studio Madane’s new identity, what it’s about, their vision, and how they can take part of it.

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Al Jadeed TV:فرصة جديدة للشباب اللبناني في إتخاذ القرار ... تعرفوا على منصة إستوديو مدني
11.2021

| Al Jadeed TV hosts CEO, Nader Akoum, to discuss the emergence of Studio Madane in Lebanon, what its goals are, and why the youth should participate in its initiatives. One of the coordinators of the Urbanists & Environmentalists participates in the conversation to explain the function of the working group and its vision for Lebanon. Further discussion took place regarding what the youth should expect from a collective like Studio Madane and what the next steps are.

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MTV Lebanon: Studio Madane, A Cultural and Social Happening in Lebanon

09.2021

| MTV Lebanon hosts CEO, Nader Akoum, to discuss the emergence of Studio Madane in Lebanon, what its goals are, and why the youth should participate in its initiatives. One of the coordinators of the Urbanists & Environmentalists participates in the conversation to explain the function of the working group and its vision for Lebanon. Further discussion took place regarding what the youth should expect from a collective like Studio Madane and what the next steps are.

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MTV Lebanon: Studio Madane, أصوات الجدد
08.2021

| In the context of Lebanese parliamentary elections, MTV Lebanon communicated with Studio Madane in one of its Open Day events in Beirut where more than 50 of its members from all working groups met to network, discuss, and plan for the next year together. CEO, Nader Akoum, explained that the members of Studio Madane are a small percentage of the new voters in Lebanon, and a very large percentage of the new mindset of all the youth voters in Lebanon.

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