Doha Debates

I'm just watching the Doha Debates on BBC World News right now. The
discussion at hand is on whether or not Arab unity exists and if there
is any hope after Gaza. Of course I'm in Ethiopia, not rightly part of
the Arab world, but much of what was said reminded me the theme in Teza,
the movie I saw yesterday. One Doha panelist, part of a research
institute in Qatar, made the statement that when he was 20 he was full
of hope, but by the time he was 25 he only had a sliver of hope left.
Now, at his current age (40s?) he said he has zero hope for Arab unity
and change, and the audience showed their agreement with the sentiment
through applause. The character in Teza, Anberber, grew up full of hope
to transform Ethiopian leadership and society into something prosperous,
but as he came of age and tried to make a difference, his hope slowly
died, and the movie shows his struggle to keep his hope alive. The
fanfare the surrounds the movie here and the throngs of young Ethiopians
going to see this movie show they also agree with the sentiment. In
reflection, the American "vote for change" (i.e. hope) shows this
sentiment is now thriving worldwide, and our struggle to keep it alive
as the world faces multiple challenges.